Your in-depth resource for everything about Weis Markets—from its 1912 founding in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, and its innovative cash-only origins to its own-brand products, in-house dairy and ice cream operations, and commitment to local farmers and communities across seven states.
For more than a century, Weis Markets has been a trusted name in grocery retail across the Mid-Atlantic. What began as a single “Weis Pure Foods” store in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, has grown into a public company with more than 200 locations and 23,000 employees serving communities in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. Through it all, the Weis family remains actively involved—Harry’s grandson Jonathan Weis serves as chairman, president, and CEO—and the company’s commitment to quality, value, and community remains as strong as ever.
Weis Markets at a Glance
Founded
1912 by Harry and Sigmund Weis in Sunbury, PA
Headquarters
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Leadership
Jonathan Weis, Chairman, President & CEO
Stock Symbol
NYSE: WMK
Stores (as of Feb 2026)
Employees
States
Family-owned
Where to Find Weis Markets: Seven-State Reach
Weis Markets operates more than 200 stores across seven Mid-Atlantic states, with the greatest concentration in its home state of Pennsylvania. The company’s footprint includes:
Maryland
New York
New Jersey
Delaware
Virginia
West Virginia
The company maintains a 1.5 million square foot warehouse facility in Milton, Pennsylvania, and supports its retail operations with its own transportation fleet and three manufacturing facilities.
The Founders: Harry and Sigmund Weis
The Weis story begins with German immigrant Sigfried Weis, who arrived in New York in 1867 and eventually opened a general store in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. His sons, Harry and Sigmund, grew up in the business and attended Susquehanna University before becoming their father’s partners in 1904.
In 1912, Harry and Sigmund struck out on their own, opening the first Weis Pure Foods store on Market Street in Sunbury. Their store was revolutionary for its time: unlike most grocers who operated on credit, Weis sold only for cash. This allowed them to lower prices by up to 25% and appealed to a growing working class earning steady paychecks.
The brothers expanded rapidly, opening dozens of small, in-town grocery stores throughout central Pennsylvania. By 1933, they operated 115 stores across 15 counties. As the industry shifted to larger, self-service supermarkets, Weis adapted—closing multiple corner stores and replacing them with consolidated supermarkets. The company went public in 1965, and the Weis family became millionaires while maintaining majority ownership.
Weis Markets Timeline: More Than a Century of Growth
- 1912: Harry and Sigmund Weis open first Weis Pure Foods store in Sunbury, PA
- 1915: Second store opens in Harrisburg, PA
- 1933: Chain peaks at 115 small stores across 15 Pennsylvania counties
- 1938: First self-service supermarket opens in Harrisburg, replacing multiple corner stores
- 1950s-60s: Expansion to York, Lancaster, and beyond
- 1965: Company goes public on the New York Stock Exchange
- 1967: First non-Pennsylvania store opens in Hagerstown, Maryland
- 1992: Acquires 14-store Mr. Z’s chain (IGA) in Poconos/Lehigh Valley
- 1993: Acquires 80% stake in SuperPetz pet supply chain; opens first New Jersey store
- 1994: Acquires six-store King’s Supermarkets chain in Hamburg, PA
- 2009: Acquires 11-store Giant Markets chain in New York’s Southern Tier
- 2016: Acquires 38 former Food Lion stores in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia
- 2017: Opens 65,000 sq. ft. flagship store in Hampden Township, PA, with pub and beer cafe
- 2019: Acquires two Thomas’ Food Market stores in Dallas and Shavertown, PA
- 2022: Last new store openings before temporary expansion pause
- 2024: Acquires two Sunnyway Foods locations to rebrand as Weis
- 2025: Resumes expansion with Linganore, MD store; announces six new stores and five fuel centers
- February 2026: Opens new 65,000 sq. ft. store in Waldorf, MD; store count reaches 202+
Recent Developments: Expansion Resumes
After a three-year hiatus in new store openings due to labor shortages and supply chain disruptions, Weis Markets resumed its expansion plans in 2025. The company announced it would open six new locations and five new fuel centers, along with 11 major remodels and 15 minor renovations.
In February 2026, Weis celebrated the grand opening of a new 65,000-square-foot store in Waldorf, Maryland, at 4535 Fairway Village Place. Chairman and CEO Jonathan Weis attended the ribbon cutting alongside local officials. The store features market-style produce, full-service meat and seafood, in-store sushi, a bakery, floral department, salad and soup bar, in-store Starbucks, drive-thru pharmacy, and a six-pump Gas N’ Go fuel center where customers can redeem Weis Rewards points.
The company also has a new store under construction in Middletown, Delaware, slated to open in late 2025. With these additions, Weis now operates more than 200 stores across its seven-state footprint.
Private Label & In-House Manufacturing
Weis Markets has long believed in vertical integration. The company operates its own dairy, processes its own milk from Pennsylvania dairy farms, and uses the excess butterfat to make Weis Quality Ice Cream—now available in more than 60 flavors and growing. This self-reliance ensures quality control and better prices for customers.
Private Brand Portfolio
Weis offers more than 6,500 private-label items across multiple tiers, accounting for a significant portion of sales. Key brands include:
Weis Signature (premium)
Weis By Nature (all-natural)
Weis Organics (organic)
Weis 360 (organic staples)
Full Circle (fair trade)
TopCare (HBA)
Paws Premium (pet food)
Weis By Nature Ice Cream
In April 2023, Weis expanded its private-label roster with Weis By Nature ice cream, a premium product made in the company’s Sunbury creamery. Available in 11 all-natural flavors—including Decadent Dutch Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Cup, and Salty Caramel Ripple—the line carries a retail price of $3.99 for a 48-ounce container and contains no GMOs or artificial ingredients. Combined with Weis Quality ice cream, the company now offers more than 70 flavors.
Local Sourcing
Weis is a proud supporter of local farmers, purchasing more than 25 million pounds of locally grown produce each year. This commitment reduces food miles, supports regional agriculture, and ensures fresh products for customers.
Departments & Services
Weis Markets stores offer a full-service grocery experience with an emphasis on fresh departments and customer convenience:
Produce
Market-style departments with organic options and locally grown selections
Meat & Seafood
Full-service counters with quality cuts and knowledgeable staff
Deli
Sliced meats and cheeses, prepared foods, heat-and-serve meals
Bakery
Fresh bread, custom cakes, pastries
Floral
Fresh flowers and arrangements for all occasions
Pharmacy
Full-service drive-thru pharmacies at many locations
Starbucks
In-store locations at many newer and remodeled stores
Fuel Centers
Gas N’ Go locations with Weis Rewards redemption
Sushi
Fresh, in-store prepared sushi at select locations
Flagship Store Features
Weis’s newer and larger stores (like Hampden Township, PA, and Waldorf, MD) include enhanced amenities:
- Pub and beer cafe with hundreds of beer and wine varieties
- Ice cream parlors
- Expanded takeout food sections
- Salad and soup bars
- Energy-efficient LED lighting and CO2 refrigerated cases
Weis Rewards & Digital Shopping
Weis Rewards
Loyalty program that allows customers to earn points on purchases and redeem them for discounts on groceries and fuel at Weis Gas N’ Go locations.
Weis2Go Online Ordering
Customers can order online for curbside pickup or home delivery through DoorDash, Instacart, Shipt, and Uber Eats. The first Weis2Go order at new stores is often donated to local charities as part of grand opening celebrations.
Community First: Giving Back
Weis Markets has a long tradition of supporting the communities where it operates. Grand openings typically include donations to local organizations—for the February 2026 Waldorf opening, Weis donated $1,500 each to five local non-profits: Hospice of the Chesapeake, Waldorf Volunteer Fire Department, Last Chance Animal Rescue, LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, and Thomas Stone High School Marching Band.
The company also supports food banks, schools, and community events throughout its footprint. In 2024, Weis Markets associates were honored by Geisinger Medical Center with Clinical Save Awards for their life-saving actions to help a customer in need—a testament to the company’s commitment to training employees for emergency situations.
Corporate Updates
In February 2026, Weis Markets filed an 8-K with the SEC announcing that its Audit Committee had determined that certain previously issued financial statements should no longer be relied upon due to a potential inventory overstatement at a single meat product manufacturing plant. The company estimated the potential overstatement at up to $22 million as of September 2025 and is working to complete a restatement. Importantly, the adjustment would not affect net sales. The company’s stock continues to trade on the NYSE under the symbol WMK.
Despite these challenges, Weis continues to invest in growth, opening new stores and remodeling existing locations. The company ended 2024 with 198 stores and has since surpassed 200 locations with the Waldorf opening and other additions.
Leadership: The Next Generation
Jonathan Weis, grandson of founder Harry Weis, serves as chairman, president, and CEO. He began working at the company in the early 1990s in real estate and has been groomed for leadership throughout his career. Bob Gleeson is senior vice president of merchandising and marketing, and Michael T. Lockard serves as senior vice president, CFO, and treasurer. Alison Gregas was promoted to director of private brands in 2023, overseeing the company’s 6,500-item private-label program.
A Diversification Experiment: SuperPetz
In the 1990s, Weis acquired an 80% stake in SuperPetz, a chain of pet supply superstores. At its peak, SuperPetz operated more than 30 stores across multiple states, offering grooming services, dog training, and veterinary clinics. The chain eventually shrank and none remain today—a reminder that even successful grocers occasionally experiment with formats that don’t last.
Did You Know?
- Weis was one of the first grocers to operate on a cash-only basis, which allowed them to lower prices by up to 25% compared to credit-based competitors.
- The company processes its own milk from Pennsylvania dairy farms and uses the excess butterfat to make Weis Quality Ice Cream—now more than 60 flavors.
- Weis purchases more than 25 million pounds of locally grown produce each year from regional farmers.
- The company’s 1.5 million square foot warehouse in Milton, PA, supports its entire seven-state footprint.
- Weis has been publicly traded on the NYSE since 1965, yet the Weis family still owns approximately 65% of the company.
- The Hampden Township, PA, store features a pub and beer cafe with 900 varieties of beer and 500 varieties of wine.
“Eat Better, Spend Less, That’s Weis!”
From a single cash-only grocery in Sunbury to more than 200 stores across seven states, Weis Markets has spent over a century building a legacy of quality, value, and community connection. Through generations of family leadership, strategic acquisitions, and a commitment to vertical integration—from its own dairy and ice cream production to local farmer partnerships—Weis has remained a trusted name in Mid-Atlantic grocery. As the company continues to expand with new stores, modern amenities, and enhanced digital services, it carries forward the vision of its founders: serve customers well, treat employees right, and be a force for good in every community. That’s Weis.