This Store Edged Out Trader Joe's as the Most Popular Grocery Store in 2022. Here's Why Customers Love It So Much (2024)

Key points

  • YouGov surveyed U.S. adults on their opinions about grocery stores, and Aldi was the most popular in the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Trader Joe's came in a close second.
  • Aldi offers a no-frills shopping experience, but plenty of opportunities to save money and try new products.

If you're a foodie, chances are good you love Trader Joe's and are always happy to break out your credit cards to pick up some treats there. Trader Joe's is known for its unique food products, including seasonal offerings, as well as for its low prices.

But Trader Joe's actually was not the most popular grocery store in America in 2022. In fact, a YouGov survey showed another grocery store was just a little bit more beloved among U.S. adults.

So, which one was it? The answer may surprise you.

This store is the most popular grocery store in America

According to a YouGov poll of U.S. adults, Aldi was actually the most popular grocery store in the U.S., beating out Trader Joe's (although Trader Joe's did trump Aldi in terms of fame).

The YouGov poll revealed that Aldi had a 65% popularity rating. That's defined as the percentage of people who think positively of the store. Trader Joe's had just a 63% popularity rating, coming in a few percentage points lower.

Both were surprisingly more popular than other well-known store chains, though. In fact, Wegman's had just a 35% popularity rating, while Publix came in at 44%.

Why is Aldi so popular?

It may come as a surprise that Aldi is the most popular grocery store in America, especially since Trader Joe's tends to get a lot of attention from devoted fans.

But Aldi has plenty of its own advocates, and there's lots to love about the discount supermarket -- especially once you get used to its quirks.

Aldi doesn't offer its customers a lot of frills. Some items are sold directly out of the boxes they come in, you have to rent a grocery cart, and you have to pack your own groceries in bags that you bring along with you. These may not sound like the features of a grocery store that's the most beloved in the country, but fans are willing to put up with these potentially minor inconveniences because of all that Aldi does bring to the table.

For one thing, Aldi has very good prices on a wide selection of items, including fresh fruits and locally grown vegetables. Aldi also carries mostly store-brand items, which means you can find even better deals on items that are just as good as the name-brand. And the store offers a Twice as Nice Guarantee so if you aren't happy with what you bought, you get a refund and a new product.

Since Aldi works hard to keep costs down, you can keep more money in your bank account when shopping there. And you don't have to be a club member to take advantage of the discounts Aldi offers, unlike with stores like Costco and Sam's Club.

Aldi also offers a good selection of specialty food items that you may not find at other discount stores -- including organic and gluten-free options, as well as a wide variety of snacks, fancy coffees, and fancy cheeses.

All of these features make Aldi worth trying out if you've never shopped there -- especially since so many of your fellow Americans love it.

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This Store Edged Out Trader Joe's as the Most Popular Grocery Store in 2022. Here's Why Customers Love It So Much (2024)

FAQs

This Store Edged Out Trader Joe's as the Most Popular Grocery Store in 2022. Here's Why Customers Love It So Much? ›

YouGov surveyed U.S. adults on their opinions about grocery

grocery
An online grocer is either a brick-and-mortar supermarket or grocery store that allows online ordering, or a standalone e-commerce service that includes grocery items. There is usually a delivery charge for this service.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Online_grocer
stores, and Aldi was the most popular in the fourth quarter of 2022. Trader Joe's came in a close second. Aldi offers a no-frills shopping experience, but plenty of opportunities to save money and try new products.

What is the most popular grocery store in 2022? ›

Per the intel, Aldi scored a 65 percent popularity rating in YouGov's latest grocery survey, which spanned the final three months of 2022. Popularity, as defined by YouGov, is the “percent of people who have a positive opinion of a grocery store.”

Why do people love Trader Joes? ›

The eclectic and retail-fan-favorite Trader Joe's is well-known to its loyalists for low prices on unique food items, ranging from cookie butter to salsas, cheeses and ready-to-eat packaged meals. The grocery store chain is also known for its quirky culture.

Who is Trader Joe's biggest competition? ›

Trader Joe's's alternatives and competitors. See how Trader Joe's compares to similar products. Trader Joe's's top competitors include Tres Lecheria, Thrive Market, and Whole Foods Market.

Why are Trader Joe's customers the most satisfied in America? ›

So what was it about Trader Joe's that resulted in such high levels of customer satisfaction? The chain ranked first on atmosphere and fast checkouts, and second on cleanliness, courteous staff, merchandise selection and accurate pricing.

What is the most popular grocery store in the world? ›

The United States of America-based Walmart Inc is the leading food & grocery retailer in the world (by retail sales). The company reported revenues of $611,289 million for the fiscal year ended January 2023 (FY2023), an increase of 6.72% over FY2022.

What is the number one grocery store in the US? ›

Largest U.S. grocers by market share, 2022

Walmart is the most popular grocery store chain nationwide, with 25.2% of the market share as of last year. Costco and Kroger are the second- and third-most-popular grocers, with 7.1% and 5.6% of the market share, respectively.

Why is Trader Joe's so successful? ›

The grocery store has established a loyal customer base by keeping its prices low and its inventory attractive to shoppers. Since its founding in 1958, Trader Joe's has opened 561 stores in 42 states plus the District of Columbia. The company has annual revenue of $13 billion.

Do rich people shop at Trader Joe's? ›

10 Richest Grocery Stores

Trader Joe's barely beats Whole Foods as the grocery store serving the wealthiest customers. Counties with any grocery store average median incomes of $54,000, but stores like Piggly Wiggly concentrate in counties with median incomes around $40,000–the bottom 44% of Americans.

Why is Trader Joe's special? ›

At Trader Joe's, you won't find a lot of branded items. Instead, you'll discover a store full of unique and interesting products, along with everyday basics, in the Trader Joe's label. Our buyers travel the world searching for products we think are exceptional and will find a following among our customers.

What are Trader Joe's weaknesses? ›

Weaknesses. Limited store presence: While Trader Joe's operates over 500 stores in the United States, its store count is relatively low compared to other major grocery chains. This limited presence can restrict the company's reach and make it difficult for some customers to access its stores.

Who is the average consumer at Trader Joes? ›

Trader Joe's average customer is a married person in an urban area who is 25 to 44 years old, earning $80,000.

Why are Trader Joe's employees so happy? ›

It's easy to tell that Trader Joe's employees love their jobs, and a large reason for that is because the company invests in employee experience. Trader Joe's pays its employees competitive wages and offers health care benefits to even part-time employees.

Why does Trader Joes have such a strong competitive advantage? ›

They Provide a Seamless In-Store Experience

Beyond the friendly staff, the in-store experience has been optimized with the customer in mind. For example, a typical supermarket has 40 to 50,000 SKUs (stock-keeping units). A Trader Joe's store typically has about 4,000, so only about 10% of the total number of products.

Who are Trader Joes target customers? ›

Meet the typical Trader Joe's shopper

As per Numerator, the typical Trader Joe's shopper is likely to be a Caucasian woman, is between the ages of 41 and 57, and makes more than $80,000.

What are Trader Joes employees called? ›

Crew. As a member of the Crew, you do a little of everything—and handle a lot. So does everyone along with you. From running the register, to stocking shelves, to creating a beautiful display; all while making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience.

What is the richest grocery store in the world? ›

Largest Food Retailers Research Summary

The largest food retailer in the world is Walmart, with a revenue of $573 billion and a net income of $13.94 billion. As of 2022, the global food & grocery retail market has a market size of $14.78 trillion.

Which country has the best groceries? ›

Groceries Index by Country 2020
RankCountryGroceries Index
1Switzerland120.3
2South Korea91.3
3Norway91.1
4Iceland86.9
128 more rows

Where is the biggest grocery store in the world? ›

Jungle Jim's International Market
Current logo
IndustryGrocery store
Area servedCincinnati, Ohio
Websitejunglejims.com
Footnotes / references
4 more rows

What are the top 3 grocery stores in the US Consumer Reports? ›

America's Top 3 Grocery Stores Ranked by Consumers
  • Aldi. At the end of 2022, Aldi was the number one grocery store among all U.S. adults, with a popularity score of 65%. ...
  • Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's, renowned for its loyal fanbase, came in as a close second overall with a popularity score of 63%. ...
  • Kroger.
Jan 30, 2023

Who owns Trader Joe's? ›

Is Trader Joe's expensive? ›

Trader Joe's is definitely cheaper than the average grocery store, but you might have to wait in a longer checkout line to take advantage of them.

What is the popularity of Trader Joe's? ›

The supermarket chain has a reputation for offering outstanding customer service. And not only are its products affordable, they're also delicious. But surprisingly, in a recent YouGov survey of the most popular supermarkets in America, Trader Joe's only managed to come in second.

How does Trader Joe's attract customers? ›

Low prices.

Unlike McDonald's secret sauce one of the keys to Trader Joe's success is not a mystery. Trader Joe's attracts customers looking for a bargain by selling items like wine, peanut butter and humus at low prices, between $2.00 to $4.00. You can also get a banana at Trader Joe's for only 19 cents.

Why is Trader Joe's different? ›

Trader Joe's specializes in gourmet and unique products, and as such, have higher prices than the average product at chain stores. However, comparing products of like quality at other stores, I find most Trader Joe products to be cheaper than competing chains, except for a few sale products at other stores.

Why are Trader Joes cashiers so nice? ›

So what is the reason Trader Joe's employees are so nice? The answer seems to be that the company treats its employees well, and so employees want to return the favor to the customers. Lucky us. NBC News reports that customers are likely to save as much as 20 percent on groceries.

Do celebs shop at Trader Joes? ›

Many celebs are just as enamored with Trader Joe's specialty foods as the rest of us. Refinery29 reports The Office's Jenna Fischer can't get enough of its Raisin Rosemary Crisps (perfect for charcuterie boards, by the way) and singer Nick Jonas enjoys TJ's mayonnaise in tuna salad.

Does Trader Joes negotiate salary? ›

Negotiate Salary

If you think you and your skill set should be valued higher than your offer, negotiate your salary! 20% of men and 100% of women at Trader Joe's said they negotiated their salaries. On average, Trader Joe's employees earn $128,919. Trader Joe's ranks in the Bottom 45% for compensation in Los Angeles.

What do you like best about Trader Joe's? ›

Key points
  • Trader Joe's is the place to go if you love food and trying new products (and saving money in the process).
  • You can try any product for free and return things you don't like for a refund.
  • The store locations have a fun atmosphere and there are no coupons to clip or membership cards to sign up for.
Aug 21, 2022

Is Trader Joe's only healthy? ›

2 | Don't assume it's a health food store

Because Trader Joe's offers a wide selection of healthy items it's easy to assume that it's a health food store. It's not. They do a great job of offering a wide variety of food, from healthy, minimally processed choices to super-processed junk food.

When did Trader Joe's became popular? ›

In 2004, BusinessWeek reported that Trader Joe's quintupled its number of stores between 1990 and 2001 and increased its profits tenfold. In February 2008, BusinessWeek reported that the company had the highest sales per square foot of any grocer in the United States.

What is hidden in Trader Joe's? ›

Donkeys, whales, monkeys, and lobsters are just some of the stuffed animals placed throughout stores as a way to keep children and parents entertained while shopping, confirms Today.

What are the challenges that Trader Joe's is facing in the current market? ›

“In March, we noted the unique struggles that Trader Joe's would likely face during COVID. The brand's pricing, lack of online orientation, and perception as 'part' of the grocery picture as opposed to a one-stop-shop, were factors that we felt would limit success,” writes Ethan Chernofsky of Placer.ai.

Is Trader Joe's a stressful job? ›

Overall, the Reddit post reveals working at Trader Joe's is a pretty low stress job that pays well.

What is the average age of Trader Joes employees? ›

What is the average age of employees at Trader Joe's? The most common age range of Trader Joe's employees is 20-30 years.

What city has the most Trader Joe's? ›

Cities with the most number of Trader Joes stores in the United States
CityState / TerritoryNumber of Locations
Los AngelesCalifornia14
New YorkNew York9
San DiegoCalifornia8
SeattleWashington7
6 more rows
May 16, 2023

Who are the traditional competitors for Trader Joes grocery store? ›

Trader Joe's's competitors and similar companies include Weis Markets, Whole Foods Market, Giant Eagle, WinCo Foods and Raley's. Trader Joe's is a company operating a specialty grocery store chain. Weis Markets is a large regional grocery chain.

Are Trader Joe's employees paid to flirt? ›

We asked eight current and former employees—and the company itself—to give us their take on the rumor circulating on social media. “I love this stuff.”

How much do Trader Joe's employees get off? ›

Trader Joe's is dedicated to making an investment in and for you. All Crew Members currently receive up to a 20% discount on all products in our stores.

What is Trader Joe's customer satisfaction rating? ›

Trader Joe's again paced the grocery store sector with a customer satisfaction score of 84, dipping from 85 in the 2022 study but matching its rating in both 2021 and 2020. The specialty grocer's score also tied with Amazon for No. 2 among all retailers, behind only pet care e-tailer Chewy at 85.

What are Trader Joe's strengths? ›

Trader Joe's Strengths
  • Strong distribution network. Trader Joe's broad distribution network gives it a solid competitive advantage and ensures that the company stays competitive. ...
  • Long-lasting legacy. ...
  • Trusted suppliers. ...
  • Products variety. ...
  • Competitive products. ...
  • Large employee database. ...
  • Brand name. ...
  • Good financial performance.

What is Trader Joe's positioning strategy? ›

What is Trader Joe's strategy? Strategy development encompasses carrying highly selective products, offering private-label products, offering small, neighborhood stores that exude warmth, providing attentive employees and offering extraordinary value.

Who is the main target customer? ›

A target customer is an individual that's most likely to buy your product. And it's a subset of the broader target market. For example, if your target market is female athletes between the ages of 13 to 25, a target customer could be female athletes in the specific age range of 13 to 16.

How often are Trader Joes employees paid? ›

Bi-weekly means twice a week, so, no, they don't pay you twice a week. They pay employees every other week. Trader Joe's is a weekly based paycheck.

How many hours a week do Trader Joe's mates work? ›

We work 50 hours a week, which is great, the downside being that we work a descending schedule. This means that our first two shifts to begin the week are two closing shifts (ending at 11pm), a mid (9-5), followed by two openings (4 or 6am).

Do Trader Joe's employees get free shirts? ›

You'll be provided a shirt, Just wear some decent jeans or cargo shorts and you'll be fine.

What is the most sold items in grocery stores? ›

If the pun didn't make it obvious, the most popular grocery store item is bananas. Apparently, Americans can't get enough of the number one best-selling grocery store food.

What is the fastest growing grocery store? ›

Texas grocer H-E-B came in first by overall new space, adding 1.2 million square feet in 2022 and edging out the 1.175 million square feet added by Southeastern chain Publix, JLL reported.

What is the top supermarket of the year? ›

ALDI NAMED 'SUPERMARKET OF THE YEAR' AND 'DRINKS RETAILER OF THE YEAR'AT PRESTIGIOUS INDUSTRY AWARDS. Aldi landed an impressive three wins at the 'Oscars of the retail world', the Retail Industry Awards 2022 last night (20th September), held at a ceremony in London.

What grocery store makes the most money a year? ›

Largest Food Retailers Research Summary

The largest food retailer in the world is Walmart, with a revenue of $573 billion and a net income of $13.94 billion. As of 2022, the global food & grocery retail market has a market size of $14.78 trillion.

What is the number 1 sold item? ›

What Is The Most Sold Item In the World? The most sold item in the world is clothing and fashion items. This ranges from women's and men's outfits to children's clothing, shoes, accessories, and more. People love their clothes, and fashion isn't going anywhere!

What is the most expensive thing to buy in a grocery store? ›

Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and cheese are the most expensive items at supermarkets, data show. Fruits, nuts, vegetables and cheese are among the most expensive items in grocery stores.

What is the fastest growing retailer in 2023? ›

Amazon will once again hold first place by a wide margin in 2023, with 37.6% of US retail ecommerce sales compared with the 6.4% of No. 2 Walmart Inc.

What is the highest gross grocery store? ›

The largest grocery store in the U.S. is Walmart, with a year-end sales of $572.75 billion and a market share of 26%. As of 2022, the U.S. supermarkets and grocery store industry has a market size of $818.6 billion.

Why is Aldi so popular? ›

Aldi has lots of fresh and local produce

One of the things Aldi says has helped its recent success is an emphasis in fresh produce, which is locally sourced and stocked daily. Those fresh fruits and vegetables make up two-thirds of what customers put in their carts, according to the company.

What is Trader Joe's known for? ›

Trader Joe's is known for its unique food products, including seasonal offerings, as well as for its low prices. But Trader Joe's actually was not the most popular grocery store in America in 2022. In fact, a YouGov survey showed another grocery store was just a little bit more beloved among U.S. adults.

Who are the Big 4 supermarkets? ›

The food retail market has traditionally been dominated by the 'big four' supermarkets -Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons - who made up over three quarters of sector market share in 2010. Tesco is the largest retailer in Great Britain, with a market share of 27.5% at the end of 2022.

What store pays cashiers the most? ›

Top companies for Cashiers in United States
  • Bed Bath & Beyond. 3.4 $51.32per hour. 8,566 reviews10 salaries reported.
  • Murphy USA. 3.3 $20.65per hour. 2,021 reviews30 salaries reported.
  • Costco Wholesale. 4.1 $18.04per hour. ...
  • Safeway. 3.3 $16.47per hour. ...
  • Rite Aid. 3.5 $16.24per hour. ...
  • Show more companies.
5 days ago

What is the most popular store in the world? ›

By revenue
RankNameHeadquarters
1WalmartUnited States
2AmazonUnited States
3CostcoUnited States
4Schwarz GruppeGermany
65 more rows

What age group spends the most on groceries? ›

A new report from Bankrate.com finds that millennials spend more on groceries than other generational groups, reports USA Today. On average, young adults report spending $797 per month on groceries, a higher amount than any other age group, according to the Bankrate.com study.

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