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One of my recent articles for The Shelby Report highlights the nuances of #grocery #retailing in the Northeast - a fascinating blend of mainstream grocers competing against innovative regional players. 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲: Strong regional players dominate alongside national chains, with a focus on local sourcing and sustainability. 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹: They are willing to pay more for eco-friendly packaging and local products. 3️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁: Nearly all Northeast grocery shoppers purchase private label products, and many are buying more private label than national brands. #GroceryRetail #NortheastGrocery #ShopLocal #SustainableGrocery #PrivateLabel #StoreBrands #ConsumerTrends #RetailInnovation #Wegmans #GiantEagle #Wakefern #BigY #Latinoconsumers

Where are most people doing their grocery shopping these days? Our latest analysis reveals some surprising trends in shopping habits: → Grocery chain visits vary across the U.S. In certain states, grocery chains account for over half of food retail chain visits, while in others, discount and dollar stores or superstores dominate. → A low share of grocery visits doesn't necessarily mean low demand. States where residents prefer superstores or discount and dollar stores over grocery chains show higher-than-average year-over-year visit growth to grocery stores. → Underserved grocery markets in Central Alabama show potential for development. Consumers often travel long distances to reach the nearest grocery chain location, but some areas experience strong visit growth with little competition, indicating robust demand. → Population growth and increased grocery chain visits in Greenville County, SC, suggest an expansion opportunity. With a 4.8% population increase over four years, the county aims to attract new grocery stores. Location analytics can aid civic leaders and grocery operators in identifying areas of growing demand and understanding local food shopping preferences. Check out the full analysis in our new white paper! Link is below in the comments. #grocery #consumerbehavior #businessintelligence

RETAIL Grocery store hopping is the new national sport Shoppers these days increasingly resemble nomadic hunters and gatherers, roaming the land in pursuit of affordable foodstuffs. Inflation is making Americans hit more stores on a typical grocery run, according to the Wall Street Journal. Grocery prices shot up 21% over the past three years, squeezing household budgets and forcing cost-conscious consumers to use Catan-level strategizing to fill their fridge. Industry observers say shoppers trek to stores in less affluent neighborhoods and shop around for deals. The average American bought food at 20.7 stores in the year leading up to February, up from 16.8 in the same period in 2019 and 2020, per Numerator. Couponing is in again, with roughly two-thirds of those recently surveyed by Advantage Solutions saying they rely on coupons, up from 33% in 2021. The thrifty trend has pushed retailers to specialize in select products and double down on store-brand items, which tend to be cheaper, experts told the WSJ. Who wins? Aldi. Long known as a bargain hunter’s emporium, the German chain beats even Walmart’s prices by prioritizing volume over variety and keeping its overhead low. Aldi’s foot traffic rose 26% in March compared to last year, faster than at Trader Joe’s and grocery giant Kroger, per Placer.ai.—SK

5 regional grocery players impressing in 2023: Amidst a slowdown in food inflation, we've compiled a list of five regional grocery chains that have demonstrated steady growth in H1 2023 and are poised to sustain their success in H2 and the future. Stater Bros. Markets (Southern California): • Known for a local and family-friendly shopping experience. • Maintained strong foot traffic trends despite store closures, indicating loyal customer base. Smart & Final (California): • One of the country's oldest warehouse grocery chains. • Thriving due to the popularity of warehouse-style shopping and bulk buying. WinCo Foods (Boise, Idaho): • A discount grocery store known for low prices. • Experiencing strong YoY visit growth, appealing to price-conscious shoppers. • The share of Winco visitors spending 30-44 minutes in-store rose from 27.4% in 2022 to 30.0% in 2023, indicating a surge in mission-driven shoppers. ShopRite & Price Rite Supermarket (Northeast): • Price Rite is a discount grocery arm, while ShopRite offers a wider range of products. • Both chains saw positive monthly foot traffic growth, with Price Rite excelling in visits. Market Basket (New England): • A beloved regional chain with strong community ties. • Maintained customer loyalty and surpassed the wider grocery sector in visits by investing in the shopper experience and community engagement. Check out the full analysis, linked below in the comments. #consumerbehavior #grocery #trends

Consumers who live near dollar stores hold surprisingly positive views about the role those establishments play in their communities, according to a first-of-its-kind national survey of dollar store perception commissioned by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The survey found that 82% of respondents said dollar stores helped their communities. Just two corporations, Dollar General and Dollar Tree Stores, which also owns Family Dollar, operate more than 35,000 stores across the country. However, while the majority of respondents to CSPI’s survey held positive views of dollar stores, they do mention an area that needs improvement. Eighty-one percent indicated that dollar stores should stock more healthy products, and three-quarters (74%) indicated that dollar stores should do more to market healthier options, including placing healthy offerings in prominent places in stores, according to the report. | Progressive Grocer https://lnkd.in/gh-6V2Fn #retail #dollarstores #food #fresh #supermarkets

🛒 6 Innovative Concepts that will shape the FUTURE of #grocery #shopping ▶️ Community-Owned Markets: Residents in underserved areas took matters into their own hands raising $160,000 to open community-owned stores, like Emerson, Nebraska's Post 60 Market, offering a full range of groceries. ▶️ Democratized Nutrition: The primary obstacle preventing 73% of regular food shoppers from purchasing organic and natural foods is the cost. Family-run chain Natural Grocers in Texas is on a mission to make organic and natural foods affordable, promoting healthier choices with their "Always Affordable Pricing" strategy. ▶️ Sensory-Sensitive Environments: Major retailers like Walmart and UK supermarkets create sensory-friendly shopping experiences for those with sensory disorders. ▶️ Showrooming Grocery Concepts: Pop Up Grocer is redefining the shopping experience by showcasing trendy, independently made, and responsibly produced products. ▶️ Human Checkout Experience: Trader Joe's prioritizes human interaction by avoiding self-checkout technology. ▶️ Single-Serving Options: In 2020, the Census reported that approximately 28% of households in the United States were inhabited by a single individual. Grocery stores need to cater to single-person households with individual-sized staples. Supermarkets are adapting to meet social, physical, and environmental factors influencing consumer choices. Those who focus on addressing these evolving needs will have a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of grocery retail. #GroceryShopping #Innovation #RetailTrends #ConsumerNeeds

"As a whole, Placer.ai found that California is a high-value grocery market thanks to robust visitation, and that in June, visits to its grocery stores were up 3.8% year-over-year, which was higher than the 1.9% climb nationwide. The state also has several distinctive geographic divisions, meaning different brands saw more foot traffic than others in each region." When it comes to grocery store visits so far this year, California has consistently outperformed the national average. Progressive Grocer's Emily Crowe features Placer.ai's "California Grocers Here We Come!" report in her recent article. Here's what to know: https://lnkd.in/g4n-Q-F3 Ethan Chernofsky Jocelyn Bauer Jennifer Cowen Tali Rozenman Shira Aliza Petrack Maytal Cohen Bracha Arnold Noam Maman Jordan Taub Maia Baram Natasha Feldman Tatiana Melamud Nufar Medan Denis Dlugach Tina Silber Noam Ben-Zvi Koby Ben-Zvi Ofir Lemel Zohar Bar-Yehuda Mark Bowman Ryan Dowd Jim Walsh Jessica Owen R. J. Hottovy, CFA Oded Fossfeld Benjamin Pitman Elad Ash Sam Becker Cornelia Holzbauer Allysun Johnson Juliette Simon Derring-Do Inc. #foottraffic #foottrafficanalytics

JLL GROCERY REPORT HIGHLIGHTS CONTRASTING STRATEGIES AMONG CANADIAN GROCERS TO TACKLE INFLATION AND SHIFTING SHOPPER PREFERENCES (INTERVIEW) Canadian grocers are taking different approaches with their discount offerings than American grocers, according to commercial real estate firm JLL’s Grocery Report on the North American market. “Loblaw is focusing on expanding its discount banners – Maxi and No Frills – but Empire is opting to focus on its current portfolio of stores without pursuing further significant expansion in the discount sector,” said the report. “The demand for discount banners, deals, and private-label products remains strong, as grocers aim to meet the value expectations of Canadian consumers amid higher inflation and economic uncertainty. Companies have witnessed strong performance from their discount banners and products, leading to increased same-store sales, footfall, loyalty membership, and market share,” it said. Full Story: https://lnkd.in/gS_nuTbB #business #news #retail #grocery #consumers #inflation JLL

U.S. convenience stores have marked their second consecutive year of growth. According to the most recent NACS/NielsenIQ Convenience Industry Store Count, there are now 152,396 convenience stores operating in the United States, reflecting a 1.5% increase from the previous year. #CStores #Retail #Fuel #Growth