Fueled in part by record-setting inflation, $3.9 billion was spent at grocery stores in Delaware over the past year, according to studies from Food Trade News and Food World.
The industry publications release a market study issue each year that compile data on grocery spending in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The studies consider sales from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023.
Albertsons, the company behind Delaware’s 18 Acme and Safeway locations, reeled in the most overall. Stores that don’t fit the traditional grocery-store mold like Wawa, Walmart and BJ’s Wholesale Club also made the top of the lists.
Here’s a look at the most popular grocery stores in each county, listed with total sales and market share.
Most popular grocery stores in New Castle County
- Albertsons (Acme/Safeway), $413.9 million, 18.53%
- ShopRite, $342.4 million, 15.37%
- Wawa, $282.7 million, 12.65%
- Walgreens, $207.4 million, 9.28%
- BJ’s Wholesale Club, $140.6 million, 6.29%
- Super G (Giant), $110.6 million, 4.95%
- Target, $82.8 million, 3.71%
- Wegmans, $80.3 million, 3.59%
- Walmart, $80.2 million, 3.59%
- Food Lion, $67.2 million, 3.01%
The newcomer:The Wegmans in Greenville accumulated enough sales to vault the New York company into New Castle County’s top 10. Wegmans was open for fewer than six months of the data collection period (late October to March 31) so Food Trade News annualized its weekly average to arrive at the $80 million figure. There’s no word yet on whether Wegmans will add another location in Delaware, but judging from the early returns (and crowded parking lots) the Greenville store appears to be a success.
Most popular grocery stores in Kent County
- Redner’s Markets, $76.5 million, 13.65%
- Wawa, $73.4 million, 13.10%
- Walmart, $66.2 million, 11.81%
- Albertsons (Acme/Safeway), $57.1 million, 10.19%
- Sam’s Club, $49.6 million, 8.85%
- Walgreens, $38.8 million, 6.92%
- Food Lion, $32.3 million, 5.76%
- Rite Aid, $25.3 million, 4.51%
- Aldi, $25.1 million, 4.48%
- Fas-Marts, $22.1 million, 3.94%
Holding steady: Redner’s Markets has been the most popular grocery store in Kent County for the last five years, the farthest back available Food World market studies range. The company started in 1970 when founders Mary and Earl Redner bought two supermarkets in Reading, Pennsylvania. Last year, Redner’s opened its 45th store, a smaller format “fresh market” store in Lewes.
Most popular grocery stores in Sussex County
- Giant Food, $183.7 million, 17.03%
- Food Lion, $146.8 million, 13.61%
- Walmart, $143.4 million, 13.30%
- Wawa, $79.7 million, 7.39%
- Walgreens, $79.1 million, 7.33%
- Redner’s Markets, $75.1 million, 6.96%
- Albertsons (Acme/Safeway), $68.8 million, 6.38%
- Weis Markets, $60.4 million, 5.60%
- Royal Farms, $48.4 million, 4.49%
- BJ’s Wholesale Club, $43.7 million, 4.05%
Goose flying high: With close to 50 locations across the state, Wawa earned a spot in the top five of the list for each county. “They’re the company other companies aspire to be like,” Don Longo, Editorial Director Emeritus of Convenience Store News, told Delaware Online/The News Journal earlier this year. It offers a convenient option for some grocery purchases (gas sales are excluded from the studies), but Wawa appears to be leaning in on its prepared foods in the years ahead. The company has expanded its dinner menu in recent years and at least one drive-thru only store is on the way.
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Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter @holveck_brandon.
