Smart & Final: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Smart & Final traces its roots to 1871, when Herman Hellman, Jacob Haas, and Bernard Cohn founded the Hellman, Haas & Co. wholesale grocery business in Los Angeles, making it one of the oldest continuously operating food retailers in the United States. The company changed names and ownership several times over the following decades, becoming Haas, Baruch & Co. around 1900. A separate company, founded in 1912 to supply feed and grain to farmers, was acquired by banker J.S. "Jim" Smart, who partnered with H.D. "Hildane" Final to form Smart & Final Wholesale Grocers. The Smart & Final name stuck after the 1953 merger with Haas, Baruch & Co. Smart & Final is headquartered in Commerce, California, near Los Angeles.

Smart & Final pioneered the "cash and carry" grocery concept west of Chicago, allowing customers to serve themselves rather than relying on a store clerk to gather items, a modern convenience at the time. The company has grown to operate more than 250 stores across California, Arizona, and Nevada, along with additional stores in northern Mexico through a joint venture. In 2008, the company introduced Smart & Final Extra!, a larger-format store with a broader product range for household shoppers. Smart & Final is currently owned by Chedraui USA.

Smart & Final's customer base includes both individual households and business customers such as restaurants, churches, and community organizations, which together account for a substantial share of the company's sales. The company's workforce includes cashiers, stockers, department staff, and store managers supporting its warehouse-style retail format.

Company culture and employee programs: Smart & Final emphasizes community connection, with many store managers building long-term relationships with regular customers. The company operates the Smart & Final Charitable Foundation, established in 2002, which supports causes across health and wellness, education, hunger relief, and disaster relief throughout its operating states. Benefits, scheduling, and advancement opportunities can vary by location, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the grocery and warehouse retail industry, including Smart & Final, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Smart & Final is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard for grocery retailers, particularly for roles involving cash handling and inventory access.

The hiring process for store-level positions at Smart & Final typically includes an application, an interview with a store manager, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a grocery retail role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws, including California's, may impose additional restrictions on how far back employers can consider certain records.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role. California has adopted "ban-the-box" laws and additional fair chance hiring requirements that restrict when and how employers can consider criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Smart & Final may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Smart & Final or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.