The Fresh Market has been named the “Best Supermarket in America” for 2021 in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, with Hy-Vee Inc. and Lidl U.S. coming in at nos. 2 and 3, respectively. A panel of 10Best local experts and contributors nominated their favorite American supermarkets based on value, selection and service.
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THE FRESH MARKET
Founders Ray and Beverly Berry opened the first Fresh Market store in Greensboro, N.C., in 1982 after returning from a trip to Europe with a vision to emulate the charm and essence of a European-style fresh food market. The initial store differentiated itself from conventional supermarkets by offering a farmers’ market atmosphere and intimate epicurean experience, and it became the blueprint for today’s 159 stores in 22 states.
HY-VEE
Meanwhile, the No. 2 spot in the Best Supermarket in America ranking went to Hy-Vee, which is also on the brink of major expansion. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based company operates more than 275 stores across eight Midwestern states and has sales of $11 billion annually, Hy-Vee has 40 new retail units in the pipeline this year. It’s also planning a state-of-the-art warehouse in the Des Moines metro area.
LIDL U.S.
Lidl’s top-three win comes shortly after being ranked a top grocer by Food & Wine Magazine for the second year, as well as the fastest-growing retailer in the National Retail Federation’s Hot 100 Retailers list. Lidl has more than 140 stores in nine East Coast states.
ALDI
Meanwhile, recognition keeps coming for Aldi. Besides being named the No. 5 Best Supermarket in America by USA Today, it was named among the top 100 most reputable companies in the world, according to RepTrak; the seventh Wave of the dunnhumby Pulse Survey found Aldi to be one of the best stores providing best value; and Aldi’s plant-based Earth Grown brand recently received the Good Housekeeping Seal.
Aldi currently has more than 2,000 stores across 37 states and is on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022.
THE TOP TEN
The complete top 10 winners in the Best Supermarket category are as follows:
- The Fresh Market
- Hy-Vee
- Lidl US
- Market Basket
- Aldi
- Stew Leonard’s
- Publix Supermarkets
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Wegmans Food Markets
- Trader Joe’s