The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, best known as A&P, was the granddaddy of the U.S. supermarket sector. Born as a Tea and Coffee company, as a result of congressional tariffs on tea and coffee, A&P started carrying additional products and eventually grew to become the country's largest supermarket chain and one of its most recognized brands...
A&P was a pioneer of many of the more know well-known supermarket concepts such as superstores" and private labeling. A&P was not simply a retailer, it has massive production facilities including its own dairy plants, coffee roasting, canning facilities and bakeries- at one point A&P was the largest bakery in the country. Manufacturing facilities allowed A&P to have better control over quality, availability and pricing. As one of America's first and most successful supermarket chains, A&P remains a symbol of American pride in quality, selection and affordability.