All articles tagged with #grocery
Trader Joe's will open nine new stores in eight states this year, adding Farmington Hills (MI), Syracuse (NY), University Heights (OH), Sarasota (FL), Chicago (IL), Quincy (MA), Yonkers (NY), Phoenix (AZ) and West Jordan (UT) to its U.S. footprint, as part of ongoing nationwide expansion; opening dates were not disclosed.
A local price check of five staples across Grocery Outlet, Ralphs, Amazon Fresh and Costco finds prices are generally close, with small item-level differences (potatoes cheaper at Grocery Outlet, eggs cheaper at Ralphs). Totals ranged from about $19.93 at Costco for a bread item bought in bulk to $25.26 at Ralphs, with Amazon Fresh at $21.52 (delivery minimum applies). The takeaway: shopping across stores can save a little, but bulk sizes, memberships and delivery fees—and even gas costs—can influence overall savings.
Costco’s 2026 bakery lineup features five standout launches: a nearly 4-pound Strawberry Cream Pie ($18.99), a 2-pound Blueberry Sourdough Bread ($8.99), a 2-pound Peaches and Cream Bar Cake ($17.99), twice-baked chocolate croissants ($9.99 for a box of six), and a nearly 4-pound Brownie Walnut Pie ($21.99). The items reflect seasonal rotations and can be stock-dependent, but fans praise the flavors on social media and you can freeze extras when available.
A Consumer Reports–commissioned study finds Costco is the cheapest major U.S. grocery store, about 21.4% cheaper than Walmart, with BJ’s Wholesale Club close behind; Lidl and Aldi are cheaper than some peers, while Walmart ranks 7th among the chains surveyed. The savings come from Costco’s economies of scale and bulk-buying, with budget-friendly options like rotisserie chicken and under-$5 staples cited as examples of its value.
A nationwide American Customer Satisfaction Index survey of about 31,000 shoppers in 2025 ranks Trader Joe's as the top U.S. grocery store for customer satisfaction with a score of 86, up from last year and ahead of Publix at 84; H-E-B, Sam's Club, Aldi, Costco and Whole Foods also perform well, while the overall grocery-satisfaction average slipped to 78.
More than 20,000 peanut butter products manufactured by Ventura Foods have been recalled across 40 states after blue plastic fragments were found in a production filter. The FDA classified the recall as Class II, indicating a low risk of serious injury. Affected items include creamy peanut butter packets and multi-pack cups sold under various private-label brands. Consumers should check labels and follow retailer or manufacturer guidance on returns or disposal, and seek medical advice if concerned.
Amazon is shutting roughly 60 Amazon Fresh grocery stores in the U.S. after employees and executives said the chain failed to offer a clearly distinctive value proposition, with weak foot traffic, a diffuse product mix, and tepid adoption of its cashierless Just Walk Out tech. The closures come as Amazon doubles down on Whole Foods and grocery delivery under its One Grocery strategy, underscoring a broader challenge to replicate scale in physical retail.
Amazon is closing about 70 Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations, with many slated to become Whole Foods Market or its smaller Daily Shop format, as the company consolidates its brick‑and‑mortar grocery strategy under the Whole Foods brand and tests new store formats.
Amazon will sunset its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go physical stores and convert several locations into Whole Foods Market outlets, part of a broader shift to prioritizing larger-format stores while keeping Fresh online grocery. The company plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods locations in coming years and expand Whole Foods Daily Shops, continuing Fresh online delivery. The move follows years of experimentation and prior closures, including UK Fresh stores and Southern California locations, and reflects Amazon's ongoing effort since acquiring Whole Foods in 2017 to gain a bigger share of the grocery market; the cashierless Go tech has been dialed back and repurposed.
Grocery stores in the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys are reducing Sunday hours ahead of a wintry weather forecast: ALDI Warren will open at noon (and ALDI Hermitage similarly opens at noon); Nemenz IGA in Struthers and Save A Lot locations in Struthers, Youngstown, Columbiana, and Sharon will close at noon; Giant Eagle and Market District stores will close at 4 p.m. Warming centers are being set up in some communities.
Amazon is adopting Walmart-inspired moves to close the gap in fast, fresh groceries by rolling out larger SSD 'Supercenter' warehouses for sub-same-day delivery, adding a new 1DC upstream distribution layer to pull inventory to where it’s needed, and embedding micro-fulfillment centers in Whole Foods stores. The plan includes a Chicago-area megastore concept, Europe expansion under Project Taylor, and ultrafast London-delivery pilots, all aimed at boosting perishables capacity and delivering faster, more reliable service to Prime members across the U.S. and beyond.
Kroger operates about 20 regional banners—Ralphs, King Soopers, Fry’s, Smith’s, Fred Meyer, QFC, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Pic’n Save, Metro Market and others—so familiar local stores feel distinct while sharing sourcing, private-labels, and logistics. A failed $24.6 billion merger with Albertsons prompted regulator pushback and led to continued consolidation, with Kroger-announced store closures (up to ~60 across 11 states) signaling ongoing upheaval in the grocery sector alongside Safeway.
The article highlights five highly-rated free Apple Watch apps that enhance the device's functionality, including CARROT Weather for detailed weather updates, Athlytic for fitness tracking, Moovit for public transit navigation, Water Tracker for hydration, and Grocery for shopping lists, all of which offer optional premium features but are fully functional in their free versions.
Winn-Dixie, a 100-year-old grocery chain, is exiting the Alabama market as part of a reorganization by Southeastern Grocers, which is focusing on Florida. The company will transfer most of its stores outside Florida to other operators, including three Alabama stores transitioning to Food City, and plans to close or sell remaining locations by early next year, leaving about 20 stores in Alabama.
Kraft Heinz is close to finalizing a plan to split into two separate companies focusing on grocery and sauces, with an announcement possible next week, though details may still change.