The Fresh Market tops 2026 USA Today grocery rankings

Key points

• The Fresh Market won the No. 1 spot in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Grocery Store.
• The chain also placed first in Best Produce, Best Deli, Best Prepared Foods, and Best Bakery sub-categories.
• CEO Brian Johnson, who has led the company for over six years, emphasized fresh meat cut daily and a strong staff culture.
• The Fresh Market operates more than 170 stores across 22 states and added five locations in the past year.
• Other top-ranked grocers included Publix, Kroger, and ALDI, each praised for different strengths like affordability or convenience.

Background

The Fresh Market was founded in 1982 by Ray and Beverly Berry, inspired by European food markets to offer a personalized shopping experience. The company has continued expanding, with recent growth including five new stores in the last year. This award follows a period of retail consolidation, as seen in other sectors like Starbucks closing underperforming locations in 2026.

How outlets are covering it

Fox News and the New York Post highlighted The Fresh Market’s fresh produce, daily meat cutting, and prepared meal kits like the Peppercorn Steak Market. The Lexington Herald Leader noted that voters specifically praised the bakery’s hand-rolled cake rolls and the produce department’s local and organic offerings, including unusual items like plumcots. While all outlets agreed on the overall win, Fox News and the Post emphasized the CEO’s comments on team culture, whereas the Lexington Herald Leader focused on specific product categories and local Kentucky store locations.

Why it matters

The award signals that consumers value freshness, variety, and in-store service over price or convenience alone. For The Fresh Market, it validates its strategy of investing in butchers, prepared foods, and a curated shopping experience, potentially driving further expansion and customer loyalty in a competitive grocery market.

What to watch

The Fresh Market plans to continue expanding, with CEO Brian Johnson indicating future growth beyond the five stores added in the past year. The company may leverage the award to attract new customers and potentially open more locations in states where it is not yet present.