Deflation and the weak economy took its toll on North American food distributors in 2009, as total volume for the Top 75 food retailers and wholesalers fell about 0.25 percent compared with a year ago.

Total revenues for the group, which includes sales of both food and nonfood merchandise in North America, were nearly $891 billion, compared with $893 billion in 2008.

The only retailer category on the list to experience dollar volume growth in 2009 was the group of alternative food-retailing formats, which includes all companies not classified as conventional supermarket operators or wholesalers. This group, led by Wal-Mart Stores, the dollar stores and the wholesale clubs, collectively saw sales inch up 2.1 percent in 2009, to nearly $421 billion. That followed a gain of 9.3 percent in the preceding year.

The 10 largest companies on the Top 75 list saw revenues slide 1.2 percent in 2009, to $606 billion, compared with a year ago. Most of the companies in the top 10-which together comprised 68 percent of the total revenues of the Top 75-saw slight sales declines during the year.

Among the top 20, dollar volume was down about 0.8 percent for 2009, to $727 billion. Their revenues accounted for 81.6 percent of the total volume for the Top 75-slightly less than their share from a year ago.

Wholesaler dollar volume declined about 1.6 percent in 2009 among the 19 companies included in the Top 75. Their total revenues of nearly $116 billion represented about 13 percent of the total sales for the Top 75 list.

The four Canadian companies on the Top 75 list-Loblaw Cos., Metro, Sobeys and Overwaitea Food Group-saw their U.S. dollar revenues decline by about 8.1 percent, to almost $56 billion in 2009, compared with 2009 totals.

Top 75 List

1. Wal-Mart Stores
2. Kroger Co.
3. Costco Wholesale Corp.
4. Supervalu
5. Safeway
6. Loblaw Cos.
7. Publix Super Markets
8. Ahold USA
9. C&S Wholesale Grocers
10. Delhaize America
11. 7-Eleven
12. H.E. Butt Grocery Co.
13. Meijer Inc.
14. Sobeys
15. Dollar General Corp.
16. Wakefern Food Corp.
17. Metro
18. BJ's Wholesale Club
19. A&P
20. Giant Eagle
21. Trader Joe's Market
22. Whole Foods Market
23. Family Dollar Stores
24. Winn-Dixie Stores
25. Associated Wholesale Grocers
26. Aldi
27. Hy-Vee Food Stores
28. Wegmans Food Markets
29. Save Mart Supermarkets
30. Nash Finch Co.
31. WinCo Foods
32. Albertsons LLC
33. Unified Grocers
34. Harris Teeter
35. Roundy's Supermarkets
36. Stater Bros. Markets
37. United Natural Foods Inc.
38. Price Chopper Supermarkets
39. Raley's Supermarkets
40. Ingles Markets
41. Grocers Supply Co.
42. Alex Lee Inc.
43. Demoulas Market Basket
44. Associated Wholesalers Inc.
45. Houchens Industries
46. Overwaitea Food Group
47. Spartan Stores
48. Schnuck Markets
49. Weis Markets
50. Bi-Lo
51. Smart & Final
52. Brookshire Grocery Co.
53. Associated Food Stores
54. Central Grocers
55. K-VA-T Food Stores
56. Bozzuto's
57. Tops Friendly Markets
58. Bashas'
59. Big Y Foods
60. 99 Cents Only Stores
61. Saker Shop Rite
62. Affiliated Foods Midwest
63. United Supermarkets
64. Brookshire Brothers
65. Village Super Market
66. Affiliated Foods
67. Inserra Supermarkets
68. Marsh Supermarkets
69. Coborn's
70. URM Stores
71. Fareway Stores
72. King Kullen Grocery Co.
73. Woodman's Markets
74. Purity Wholesale Grocers
75. Redner's Markets