In a surprising turn of events, Wegmans has lost its title as the top supermarket in the latest edition of America's Best Retailers. The 2024 edition, published in Newsweek magazine, reveals that Wegmans has been dethroned by an unexpected contender - the Great Wall Supermarket.
Great Wall, an Asian American grocery food chain, emerged as the new leader in the supermarket category. With its first store opening in New York City in 2003, Great Wall has since expanded to approximately 22 locations along the East Coast, although none are currently situated in Western New York. The supermarket chain specializes in large-scale fresh foods and caters specifically to Chinese communities.
Wegmans, a beloved Rochester-based grocer, secured the second position with a score of 90.89 out of 100. However, it was unable to surpass Great Wall, which achieved a score of 92.69. Following closely behind in third place was Publix, a Florida-based supermarket chain. The Fresh Market from North Carolina and Sprouts from Arizona rounded out the top five. In the discount supermarket category, Trader Joe's, based in California, claimed the top spot with a score of 89.14. WinCoFoods from Idaho secured second place, while German company Aldi took third place.
To compile the list, Newsweek and Statista surveyed over 7,000 shoppers considering factors such as prices, selection, atmosphere, customer service, accessibility, and the likelihood of recommending a retailer. Despite slipping to second place, Wegmans remains a prominent player in the supermarket industry.