5 Grocery Retailers That Cater to Customers with Different Business Models

Despite some supermarkets being national and well known—Whole Foods, Kroger and Costco, for example, many that are regional dominate their different parts of the country with different strategies, from bulk shopping and low prices to fresh produce. As food inflation has slowed, Placer.ai looked at five regional chains that have experienced consistent growth in the first half of 2023 and are expected to continue their strong performance into the second half and beyond. Others may learn from what’s encouraging these chains’ healthy foot traffic and loyalty.

Stater Bros. Market, based in Southern California’s San Bernardino, opened as far back as the Great Depression but has managed to expand to more than 170 locations in its state. Known for its family-friendly shopping experience with relatively small stores near distribution centers, that has helped its products remain local and fresh. Monthly visits grew this year versus last year despite several stores closing. And the year-over-year visits also increased; for example, visits per venue rose 4.9% in June, 7.7% in July and 6.6% in August in 2023 versus 2022. The conclusion is that the chain has been able to keep its loyal visitor base and detour those who visited shuttered stores to other Stater Bros. markets.