Wegmans has been dethroned as America’s favorite supermarket by surprising rival
Wegmans has been dethroned as America’s favorite supermarket in an annual ranking conducted by thousands of consumers.
The upscale store, which was founded in Rochester, New York, came in second on the list of America’s Best Retailers.
The supermarket chain Great Wall Supermarket topped the list this year. The Asian-American supermarket chain opened its first store in New York City in 2003.
To help Americans find the best places to shop, Newsweek partnered with data intelligence platform Statista to survey 7,000 customers about their opinions of retailers across 40 industry categories.
Participants were asked to rate the store based on prices, assortment, atmosphere, customer service, accessibility and the likelihood that they would recommend the store.
The grocery department topped the charts this year with Great Wall Supermarket, an Asian-American grocery chain that opened its first store in New York City in 2003
Great Wall Supermarket achieved an impressive score of 92.69 out of 100 in the ranking.
The website states that the store caters to Asian immigrants and offers high-quality products and service.
The company has more than 17 stores in the US, including in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles.
After being in first place in 2023, Wegmans is in second place this year.
Brothers John and Walter Wegman started out as handcart salesmen of fresh produce in 1916. Today, the company has more than 110 stores in eight states and more than 53,000 employees.
Wegmans is known for its loyal customer base and its high-quality, yet expensive products.
When Wegmans opened its first store in Manhattan, New York City, last October, so-called “Wegmaniacs” lined up to be the first to sample the fresh sushi, salads and sandwiches, as well as a wide range of fresh produce and groceries.
Coming in third on the 2024 list is Publix, with more than 1,000 stores nationwide, followed by The Fresh Market, with 161 locations in 22 states.
In fifth and sixth place are organic sellers Sprouts and Natural Grocers, followed by Whole Foods in seventh.
Since opening its first store in Austin, Texas in 1980, Whole Foods now has more than 500 stores in the US.
At number eight on the list is Seafood City, a chain specializing in Filipino dishes and products, with over 30 locations.
Albertsons finished in ninth place and Kroger in tenth place.
The announcement comes amid fears of store closures if a proposed merger of the two mega-chains goes ahead.
Great Wall Supermarket scored an impressive 92.69 out of 100 in the rankings (Pictured: a store in Merrifield, Virginia)
Fresh food on display at a Great Wall grocery store in Virginia
After ranking first in 2023, Wegmans, which was founded in Rochester, New York, was ranked second this year
Other categories mentioned by survey participants included apparel, bridal wear, department stores, bookstores and toy stores.
Trader Joe’s tops the list of discount supermarkets this year, followed by WinCo Foods and Aldi.
Costco, on the other hand, ranks at the top when it comes to supermarkets and warehouse club stores.
In second place is Walmart’s department store chain Sam’s Club, followed by Target and BJ’s.