Walmart, Costco and Kroger are three of the biggest supermarkets in the US – but that doesn’t mean they are popular with shoppers.
In fact, the trio don’t even make the top ten in a new poll of America’s favorite grocery store.
Fan favorites Trader Joe’s and Aldi – both budget stores with a limited range focusing on cheaper, own-label items – and upmarket Wegmans are in the the top ten.
But none take top spot – which goes to Hy-Vee. Founded in 1930 in Iowa, the employee-owned chain with just under 300 stores mostly in the Midwest and South.
All of the top five were smaller, regional supermarkets. The Fresh Market took second spot, followed by Heinen’s Grocery Store, Stew Leonard’s and southern California‘s Gelson’s Markets.
The top ten in USA Today’s best supermarkets. Scroll down for a similar report by Newsweek, which had different results
The ten best grocery chains was compiled by USA Today. They were selected by an expert panel along with the publication’s readers as the best for value, selection, and great service.
The Fresh Market – with 161 locations in 22 states is number two, and has a ‘more intimate and personalized experience than the warehouse-style supermarkets’, the report said.
At number three, Heinen’s is a family-owned regional chain.
Stow Leonard’s at four started as a small dairy store in 1969. It is now the world’s largest dairy store, but also now sells everything expected of a supermarket too.
Fancy Gelson’s 25 stores cater to the rich and famous in southern California – from Calabasas to West Hollywood. Celebrates can often be seen buying organic fare there.
The list mostly features small and medium-sized chains like these rather than the big-box giants Walmart, Target and Costco, which sell homewares and electronics as well as groceries.
Even Kroger and Albertson’s – the biggest of the grocery-only supermarkets – did not make the cut.
The biggest to make the list was Publix -which has over 1,000 large stores across the country – at number seven.
Aldi, the fastest-growing supermarket in the US, was six and Trader Joe’s, famous for its sweet treats, was eight.
Aldi is expanding at breakneck speeds. Some 2,400 of its small stores, packed with a limited assortment of well-curated but mostly private label goods, are now dotted across the country, and it plans to open another 800 in the next four years.
Wegman’s, the upmarket 100-store chain that is often near the top of polls, was in ninth.
In October last year, when Wegmans opened its first store in Manhattan, New York City, so-called ‘Wegmaniacs’ lined up down the street to be among the first inside.
Fresh Thyme Market, with 70 stores in the Midwest, rounded out the top ten.
Different top ten, same theme – in rival ranking
A separate recent survey by Newsweek on America’s favorite supermarkets had different winners.
But there was a similar theme – smaller chains beating the established giants.
Top was Great Wall Supermarket, an Asian American supermarket chain which opened its first store in New York City in 2003. Previous winner Wegmans fell to second place.
Great Wall Supermarket scored an impressive 92.69 out of 100 in Newsweek’s ranking (Pictured: A store in Merrifield, Virginia)
Newsweek’s list of the best supermarkets was topped by Great Wall Supermarket, an Asian American supermarket chain which opened its first store in New York City in 2003
Newsweek partnered with data intelligence platform Statista to survey 7,000 customers on their opinions on retailers spanning 40 industry categories.
Participants were asked to rank the retailer based on prices, the selection of goods, atmosphere, customer service, accessibility and how likely they would be to recommend the store.
Great Wall Supermarket – with just 17 stores selling food aimed at Asian shoppers – scored an impressive 92.69 out of 100 in the ranking.
Third on Newsweek’s 2024 list was Publix, which has over 1,000 stores across the country, followed by The Fresh Market, which has 161 locations in 22 states.
Fifth and sixth in the ranking are organic sellers Sprouts and Natural Grocers, followed by Whole Foods in seventh place.
