The Largest Grocery Chains in the US 2021 | Location Analysis (2024)

Updated on 11 November 2021.

Did you know that Walmart is the largest grocery chain in the US with a total of 4,668 stores? Yes, Walmart has a store in every American state. The next in line is The Kroger Co., with a total of 3,225 stores distributed across the US.

Despite the boom in online shopping & spending, most American consumers still prefer shopping groceries from retail stores over ordering online. The State of Consumer Behavior 2021 report also states that 46% of the respondents preferred to interact with the products directly. No wonder groceries mean big business today!

As per our analysis of grocery chains based on locations, here’s a list of the top 10 grocers in the US:

1. Walmart
2. The Kroger Co.
3. Publix
4. Food Lion
5. Save A Lot
6. Safeway Inc
7. IGA
8. Southeastern Grocers
9. Shiloh Farms
10. Trader Joes

We analyzed a total of 14,623 grocery stores from 10 of the largest chains in the US. Here are the key insights:

Let us take a closer look at each of these chains.

Walmart Locations in the US (4,668 stores)

Texas ranks the highest in the number of Walmart stores across the US. They make up about 11% of the total Walmart locations. This is followed by Florida & California with 341 & 279 Walmart stores, respectively.

Walmart follows a store distribution policy that is closely linked to population density. As a result, most of its outlets are in or near consumer population clusters.

Key facts:

• Apart from being the largest grocery chain in the US, Walmart also has the highest number of stores offering curbside pickup service.
• Offerings: Retail goods, pharmacies, photo labs & grocery pickup services, among many others.

The Kroger Co. Locations in the US (3,225 stores)

The Kroger Co. grocery stores are located in 39 states across the country. They are predominantly present in the Midwestern & Southwest regions. California ranks #1 with 301 stores, and they make up 9% of the total number of The Kroger Co. stores in the US. Ohio & Texas fall next in line with 284 & 209 stores, respectively.

Key facts:

• The Kroger Co. is the second-largest grocery chain in the US & owns 22 chains.
• Its largest subsidiaries are Kroger (1,350), Harris Teeter (250) & Little Clinic (225).
• It is the largest retailer by revenue in the US.
• Offerings: Supermarket fuel centers, pharmacies, in-store medical clinics & food processing facilities, etc.

Publix Locations in the US (1,326 stores)

Most Publix locations are present in the southeastern states. Florida tops the list with 846 stores, representing about 63% of the total Publix locations. Georgia & Alabama occupy the consecutive places on the list with 202 & 86 store locations, respectively. Publix also has the highest number of store locations in the southeast compared to any other grocery chain.

Key facts:

• According to Newsweek’s 2020 America’s Best Customer Service list, Publix ranks #1 in the supermarket category and #9 overall.
• All Publix locations have a pharmacy and provide curbside grocery pickup services with Instacart.
• Offerings: Besides supermarkets, Publix also offers services in recycling, money transfers, in-store Publix Bakery and Deli.

Food Lion Locations in the US (1,104 stores)

Food Lion is the fifth-largest grocery chain in the US, with store locations spread across 10 states. North Carolina represents about 45% of them & is home to 500 Food Lion locations. Virginia (277) & South Carolina (163) occupy second & third positions on the list.

Key facts:

• Food Lion is the first grocery store to establish a partnership with Feeding America & develop a food rescue program.
• Offerings: Besides providing supermarket services, Food lion also specializes in baby, healthcare, pet care & pharmaceutical products.

Save A Lot Locations in the US (917 stores)

With 917 store locations, Save A Lot is the fifth-largest grocery chain in the US. The stores are present across 32 states in the US. Nearly 13% of these stores, i.e., 125 stores, are in Ohio. Florida (108) & Kentucky (91) are next on the list of locations contributing to the chain’s popularity on the eastern side of the USA.

Key facts:

• Save A Lot has an extensive array of store brands, many of which are named after Save A Lot employees.
• Offerings: Grocery products with an assortment of fresh, canned, and frozen produce, meat, meal products, household items, and everyday groceries from private labels and national brands.

Safeway Inc Location in the US (899 stores)

The states with the highest number of Safeway Inc stores include California (246), Washington (179) & Arizona (102). Popular on the west coast, the Safeway Inc grocery chain is present across 18 states in the US.

Key facts:

• Safeway Inc owns and operates GroceryWorks.com, an online grocery channel.
• Offerings: Full array of grocery items, food, and general merchandise and feature a variety of specialty departments, such as bakery, delicatessen, floral, and pharmaceutical products.

IGA Locations in the US (780 stores)

The eastern states in the US enjoy a higher number of IGA store locations compared to the central & western parts of the country. North Carolina & Kentucky are the states with the most IGA grocery store locations (61) & make up for 7% of the total number. Ohio ranks #2 on the list with 60 store locations.

Key facts:

• Although IGA is the eighth largest grocery chain in the US, it enjoys superior popularity globally. IGA has 5,000 stores in over 30 countries worldwide.
• Offerings: Groceries, food & beverages & retail products.

Southeastern Grocers Locations in the US (574 stores)

As the name implies, you can find Southeastern Grocers primarily in the southeastern states of the US. Florida (478) has the highest number of locations. This makes up 82% of the total number of company stores. Alabama (39) & Louisiana (28) rank no.2 & no.3 on this list. Moreover, Southeastern Grocers enjoys superior dominance in 5 states across the country.

Key facts:

• Subsidiaries of Southeastern Grocers include BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket, and Winn-Dixie grocery stores.
• Offerings: Groceries, liquor, pharmaceutical products.

Shiloh Farms Locations in the US (578 stores)

New York is home to the highest number of Shiloh Farms stores in the US. It has 158 grocery stores & contributes to 27% of 578 Shiloh Farms locations in the country. Pennsylvania and New Jersey are next in line with 115 stores and 63 stores, respectively.

Shiloh Farms locations are notably high on the eastern side of the country while sparsely present in the central & western states. You will find their stores across 42 states in the US.

Key facts:

• Offerings: Shiloh Farms has its own line of organic flours, cereals, grains, dried fruits, nuts, beans, cheeses, and sprouted grain bread. Also, the chain launched its own line of gluten-free products.

Trader Joes (548 stores)

Trader Joes ranks #10 on this list with a total of 548 store locations in the US. With 191 locations, California accounts for 34% of them while New York & Washington fall next in line with 32 & 25 locations respectively.

Key facts:

• In 2020, Trader Joe’s scored highest on the Customer Satisfaction Index for supermarkets with a rating of 84/100.

If you’d like more insights on store locations, you can download the data used for this analysis and much more from our data store.