Expansion from national heavyweights, the strength of regional chains and independents, and continued consumer price-consciousness are all major components of the retail scene. Whether located in the city proper or in the surrounding suburbs, the result over the last several years is the creation of an extremely competitive food retail environment.
In St. Louis, Aldi stores move produce labeled by repackers from Produce Row.
To Maglio, price is the decider in his neck of the woods. “Price points are extremely low, as Milwaukee residents are very value conscious. We see much greater spending on groceries in markets such as Minneapolis and Chicago,” he explains.
Another facet of the grocery shopping experience is convenience. Midwestern retailers have also expanded their online formats, offering dedicated pickup spots and delivery services.
“Hy-Vee has ‘Aisles Online’ and you can buy your groceries online and they’ll deliver to your home,” praises Comito.
He believes the new service is a “fantastic innovation” for retailers to head off competition from behemoth Amazon, which is putting its might behind fresh grocery delivery. Hy-Vee’s competitor, Fareway, has featured online ordering for its popular meat counter.
Specialty and ‘cash & carry’ outlets
Smaller and specialty retail formats, like Lucky’s and Fresh Thyme, continue expansion into the Midwest, crowding the region’s already tight market.
