The 10 best grocery stores as voted by shoppers – here are the upstarts beating Walmart, Kroger and Target

Walmart, Costco and Kroger are three of the largest supermarkets in the US, but that doesn’t mean they’re popular with shoppers.

In fact, the trio doesn’t even appear in the top ten of a new poll of the most popular supermarkets in America.

Fan favorites Trader Joe’s and Aldi — both budget stores with limited selections, focusing on cheaper private label items — and the more expensive Wegmans made the top ten.

But no one takes the top spot — that goes to Hy-Vee. Founded in 1930 in Iowa, the employee-owned chain operates just under 300 stores, mostly in the Midwest and South.

All of the top five were smaller, regional grocers. Fresh Market came in second, followed by Heinen’s Grocery Store, Stew Leonard’s and Gelson’s Markets from Southern California.

The ten best supermarket chains were compiled by USA TodayThey were selected by a panel of experts along with the publication’s readers as the best based on value, selection, and great service.

The Fresh Market comes in second with 161 locations in 22 states. According to the report, it offers a “more intimate and personal experience than warehouse-style grocery stores.”

At number three is Heinen’s, a regional family chain.

Stow Leonard’s at four started out as a small dairy in 1969. It is now the largest dairy in the world, but now also sells everything you would expect from a supermarket.

Fancy Gelson’s 25 stores cater to the rich and famous in Southern California, from Calabasas to West Hollywood. Partygoers are often seen buying organic produce.

The list mainly includes small and medium-sized retail chains like this one, and not the large retail chains like Walmart, Target and Costco, which sell household goods and electronics in addition to groceries.

Even Kroger and Albertson’s, the largest grocery stores, didn’t make the list.

The largest on the list is Publix, with more than 1,000 major stores across the country, at number seven.

Aldi, the fastest growing supermarket in the US, was ranked sixth and Trader Joe’s, famous for its sweet treats, was ranked eighth.

Aldi is expanding rapidly. Some 2,400 of its small stores, stocked with a limited range of well-curated but mainly private label products, are now spread across the country and it plans to open another 800 over the next four years.

Wegman’s, the upscale 100-store chain that often tops polls, was ranked ninth.

When Wegmans opened its first store in Manhattan, New York City last October, so-called “Wegmaniacs” lined up to be the first to get in.

Fresh Thyme Market, with 70 stores in the Midwest, rounded out the top ten.

Different top tens, same theme – in rival rankings

Another recent Newsweek survey of America’s favorite supermarkets had several winners.

But there was a similar theme: smaller chains were beating out the established giants.

Great Wall Supermarket, an Asian-American grocery chain that opened its first store in New York City in 2003, took the top spot. Previous winner, Wegmans, fell to second place.

Newsweek partnered with data intelligence platform Statista to survey 7,000 consumers 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.

Great Wall Supermarket, which has only 17 stores selling groceries aimed at Asian consumers, scored an impressive 92.69 out of 100 in the ranking.

Coming in third on Newsweek’s 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.