What’s the most popular grocery chain in the United States?
7-Eleven BB #:105528, according to a recent YouGov poll.
The most popular grocery stores in America | Consumer | YouGov Ratings
The convenience chain topped the list in YouGov’s most recent grocery survey for 2022, with a 62 percent rating, just ahead of runners-up Aldi and Kroger (with 61 percent each). Trader Joe’s (at 58 percent) and Whole Foods Market (53 percent) coming in at fourth and fifth place, respectively.
“Popularity is the % of people who have a positive opinion of a grocery store,” says the YouGov site.
Millennial males gave the chain its highest popularity score. And why shouldn’t they? They probably associate it with the warm feelings generated by the purchase of a cold six-pack.
Females, by contrast, put Aldi at the top. Discounted prices here are no doubt the way to their hearts. (Incidentally, the YouGov link enables you to break down the ratings by gender and generation.)
And how can you not love Trader Joe’s, which a friend of mine describes as “a candy store for adults”?
The survey doesn’t really indicate any major upheavals in retail grocery spending, but it does point up the importance of convenience in the present-day market.
The natural question for the produce industry is how it can fit into this convenience landscape.
It is already addressing this issue by poking into dollar stores (which, incidentally, were completely absent from the YouGov popularity list) as a possible outlet.
But it isn’t that easy, because offering a few stray produce items doesn’t amount to very much.
Then there is quality. C. Peter Timmer, a Harvard professor emeritus who is one of the world’s leading experts on global food, characterizes dollar store produce offerings as “not very appealing” and “wilted.”
This is a long way from a fully stocked produce department with a large array of fresh, appealing items.
Fresh produce that makes its way into a 7-Eleven is not likely to come off much better. The best bet is likely to be single bananas sold near the cash register (which of course are much healthier than any of the other offerings there).
The issue has larger implications, because—and I cite my own experience here—if you eat an apple or pear that is mealy or flavorless, you aren’t going to feel like buying apples or pears for a while. Even if they look a lot more luscious than the substandard one you ate last week.
Quality can’t be overlooked for convenient availability alone.
