Siam FamilyMart may be the second-largest convenience store chain in Thailand, but it still has a long way to go to catch up with #1: Seven-Eleven Japan. The fast-growing company operates more than 550 convenience stores throughout Thailand, about a tenth the number of its larger rival. The stores offer hot and cold snacks and beverages, sandwiches, rice balls, cigarettes, and other convenience items. Established in 1993, FamilyMart is a subsidiary of Japan's FamilyMart chain of convenience stores. The company franchises its individual stores and provides support in the form of managerial advice, training, advertising, promotions, store equipment, and the preparation of annual tax documents.

Earth Fare stores offer about 26,000 natural and organic products, house cafes and juice bars, sell vitamins and herbs, and offer deli service and cooking classes. Earth Fare was founded in 1975 by Roger Derrough who owns it along with other investors.Shoppers looking to fill their carts with products containing high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial flavors, and synthetic growth hormones need not shop at Earth Fare. The regional organic and natural foods supermarket chain operates some 20 stores in Alabama, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee. Its stores are smaller than those of its conventional supermarket competitors and national natural foods chains like Whole Foods Market.

Founded in 1908 by William Aubuchon, a French-Canadian immigrant, the company is still owned by the Aubuchon family, including CEO William Aubuchon III and president M. Marcus Moran, Jr. Old houses in New England get refurbished with assistance from W.E. Aubuchon. W.E. Aubuchon operates about 130 hardware stores throughout New England and New York, as well as a Web site. More than just nuts and bolts, the store stocks about 50,000 products, including appliances, camping gear, hardware, housewares, paint, and tools. It carries such name brands as Delta Faucet, Honeywell, Stanley, and Weber. The store also offers rug cleaner rentals, propane tank filling, and key cutting, among other services.

PPR has transformed itself from a conglomerate to the world's third-largest luxury group (behind LVMH and Richemont). PPR's stable of global luxury brands includes a 99% stake in Italian luxury goods company Gucci Group, and luxury brands Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Boucheron, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney, and Yves Saint Laurent, among others. The group's other activities include the multichannel merchant Redcats, Fnac music and book stores, the Conforama chain of household furniture and appliance stores, and the German athletic shoemaker PUMA. More than half of PPR's sales are generated outside of its home country. PPR is run by Francois-Henri Pinault, the son of its founder Francois Pinault.

AUTOBACS STRAUSS INC. was created in 1982 through the acquisition of Strauss, a New York City auto-parts chain founded in 1919, by R&S Auto. It spent two years under the ownership of Japan's AUTOBACS SEVEN CO. before being sold back to its former owner Glenn Langberg in 2009. If your car conks out in the city that never sleeps you might seek out AUTOBACS STRAUSS (formerly Strauss Discount Auto) for a wake-up call. The auto parts and service chain has about 75 locations in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The stores sell accessories and car-care products, as well as hard parts such as batteries, mufflers, radiators, and spark plugs, tires, and tools. Many locations also offer repair services.

Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, operates supermarkets and retail outlets in Israel. It offers food and beverages products; non-food items, such as houseware products, toys, small electrical appliances, computers and computer accessories, entertainment and leisure products, and textile products; and near-food products comprising health and beauty aids, baby and young children products, cosmetics, and hygiene products. The company owns and operates 207 supermarkets under the Mega, Mega in Town, Shefa Shuk, Mega Bool, and Eden Teva brand names; and 260 non-food retail outlets under the Naaman, Vardinon, Sheshet, Kfar Hasha’ashuim, Rav-Kat, Dr. Baby, and All for a Dollar brand names. In addition, it owns, leases, and develops commercial properties. The company was formerly known as Blue Square – Israel Ltd. and changed its name to Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd. in July 2010. The company was founded in 1988 and is based in Rosh Ha'ayin, Israel. Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd. is a subsidiary of Alon Retail Ltd.

CEO and president Dan Brettler founded the company in Bellevue, Washington, in 1987. When you outgrow toy cars, you're likely to find Car Toys. Car Toys sells in-car DVD systems, satellite radios, audio components, security systems, navigation systems, radar detectors, and wireless phones and plans. The company offers such brands as Alpine, Audiovox, JBL, Motorola, Panasonic, Pioneer, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. Car Toys peddles its products through about 50 retail locations in several states, including Colorado, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, as well as through its website. In addition to offering electronics, Car Toys stores provide installation services and advice.

Industria de Diseno Textil (Inditex) makes disposable chic fashions that are here today and gone tomorrow. The Spanish designer-cum-retailer uses technology and an armada of designers to master cheap chic. Inditex sells on a global scale, with some 4,430 shops in 75-plus countries under eight different banners: Zara, Oysho, Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, Zara Home, and Uterque. Located mostly in Europe, the firm's stores answer to popular trends by telling designers in Spain what customers are asking for locally. Inditex responds in about two weeks with new designs. Amancio Ortega Gaona, Spain's wealthiest businessman, founded Zara in 1975 and later created Inditex as a holding company.

xel Johnson is one of the region's largest food importers and retailers.Through interests in affiliated units,the company operates discount and upscale supermarkets and department stores, imports and wholesales food for supermarkets and restaurants,and invests in small and midsized Swedish companies.Operating primarily in Sweden, Axel Johnson is one of four financially and legally independent corporations that are owned by Antonia Ax:son("Ax:son" is an abbreviated form of Axelson)Johnson and make up the Axel Johnson Group.

Worsley Operating Corporation (formerly Worsley Companies) operates about 210 convenience stores in North and South Carolina under the Scotchman, Youngs, S&E Food Mart, and Li'l Cricket banners. The stores sell fuel under the BP, Exxon, Shell, Mobil, and Sunoco brands as well as Worsley's own Carolina Petro brand. To fuel the body, many of its convenience stores offer Subway, Quiznos, and Blimpie fast food as well as the firm's own brand of breakfast and lunch items. Worsley also operates two truck stops in North Carolina. The company was founded in 1923 by W. C. Worsley Sr. Worsley Companies was acquired by an affiliate of the private investment firm Sun Capital Partners in 2008.

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