The descendant of a Chicago grocery store founded in the 1850s, William M. Hoyt & Co. was created during the Civil War. Hoyt became a leading grocery wholesaler, with annual sales of close to $1 million by the mid-1870s and nearly $5 million by the early 1890s, when it was among the region's leading food distributors. In 1920, Hoyt & Co. was sold to Austin Nichols & Co., based in Brooklyn, New York.

This entry is part of the Encyclopedia's Dictionary of Leading Chicago Businesses (1820-2000) that was prepared by Mark R. Wilson, with additional contributions from Stephen R. Porter and Janice L. Reiff.