Thanks to its acquisition earlier this year of Winn-Dixie, Mauldin-based BI-LO Holdings, Inc., has become one of the nation's largest retailers.

In a ranking by the national trade journal, Chain Store Age, BI-LO made the Top 100 list for the first time ever, coming in at number 79. Unsurprisingly, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., with thousands of stores around the globe, came out on top, according to a report by the Jacksonville Business Journal.

In a deal announced late last year, BI-LO closed its acquisition of Florida-based Winn-Dixie in March, propelling the company onto the list on the strength of its expansion to 688 stores in eight states and combined fiscal 2011 revenues of nearly $4.95 billion dollars.

Nearly two dozen grocery store chains made the journal's Top 100 list, including heavyweight Kroger, which ranked second behind Wal-Mart. 

In addition to BI-LO, other Carolina's-based grocers making the list included 22nd-ranked Delhaize America of Salisbury, N.C. parent company of Food Lion, Matthews, N.C-based Harris Teeter (85), and Asheville-based Ingles (99).

Including all other retail categories, other Carolina companies on the list included Lowe's (9), Family Dollar (51), The Pantry (52), and Belk's (95) — all based in North Carolina.

BI-LO was the only South Carolina company to make the list. But soon, however, even BI-LO will no longer be based in the Palmetto State. Though it will maintain a large presence in Mauldin and the Upstate, BI-LO is in the process of transferring its main headquarters to Jacksonville, Fla.

For the complete list of the nation's Top 100 retailers, click here.