# Imperial Trading

> Imperial Trading is a New Orleans-based wholesale distributor that has supplied independent convenience stores since 1916. A third-generation family business now owned by John Georges, it stocks more than 10,000 products - from cigarettes and candy to made-to-order foodservice programs - and, together with its 2018 acquisition S. Abraham & Sons, ranks among the largest convenience-store distributors in the United States, serving over 5,000 retail locations across 21 states. Its pitch to the corner store is simple: 'We Do More For Your Store' - not just delivery, but store design, category analytics, digital menu boards, and a foodservice test kitchen.

- **Founded:** 1916
- **Headquarters:** New Orleans (Elmwood), Louisiana, United States
- **Founders:** C.H. Pelias (Founder)
- **Team size:** ~300 employees (Imperial Trading); larger combined with S. Abraham & Sons
- **Products:** Convenience Store Distribution, Foodservice Programs, 5-Point Go To Market Support System, Retail Services & Custom Solutions, Logistics & Technology
- **Notable:** Operating continuously for more than 100 years since its 1916 founding, Grew from a single New Orleans wholesale grocer to a super-regional distributor serving 5,000+ retailers, 2018 acquisition of S. Abraham & Sons doubled the company's size and created a national top-five c-store distributor

## Products & services

- **Convenience Store Distribution** — Wholesale supply of more than 10,000 convenience-store products - tobacco, candy, snacks, beverages, grocery, and general merchandise - to independent retailers.
- **Foodservice Programs** — Turnkey hot and fresh food programs including branded concepts, digital menu boards, training, marketing, and execution, developed in a dedicated New Orleans test kitchen.
- **5-Point Go To Market Support System** — A multi-level support model covering store penetration, business reviews, and instant solutions for retail operators.
- **Retail Services & Custom Solutions** — Custom store design and layout, category management plan-o-grams, retail category analytics, and personalized retail solutions.
- **Logistics & Technology** — Technology-driven distribution with warehouse automation, batch picking, sorting verification, and in-store ordering devices, supported by a dedicated IT team.

## Achievements

- Operating continuously for more than 100 years since its 1916 founding
- Grew from a single New Orleans wholesale grocer to a super-regional distributor serving 5,000+ retailers
- 2018 acquisition of S. Abraham & Sons doubled the company's size and created a national top-five c-store distributor
- Combined annual sales volume cited at roughly $2.5 billion
- Built a network of distribution centers across Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, and (via SAS) Michigan and Indiana

## Latest updates

- **2018-07** — Imperial Trading acquired the stock of GRAD Inc., parent of S. Abraham & Sons, roughly doubling its size and creating a national top-five convenience-store distributor.
- **2019-01** — Imperial and S. Abraham & Sons partnered with Skupos to offer profit-driving data programs to retailers.

## Links

- Website: https://imperialtrading.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/imperial-trading
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ImperialTrNOLA
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImperialTradingNola/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/imperial-trading
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-12