Aldi Edges Above Amazon in Top Grocer Sales Ranking
The grocery industry news site, Progressive Grocer, recently shared its top grocer ranking for 2019. Aldi remained in position number 9 this year, the same as last year. The online retail giant Amazon, which acquired Whole Foods Market, fell below Aldi this year, moving from number 8 to number 10. Aldi’s arch-rival, Lidl, came in at number 56; last year Lidl did not make it onto the chart at all.
Aldi may be poised to rise even higher among the ranks in the coming years as it adds new stores, remodels and expands existing stores, and adds more fresh foods and convenient healthy foods to its inventory. The discount grocer announced last year that 20% of its products would be new compared to the previous year, with an increase in the fresh food selection by 40%.
The top 10 grocers as ranked by Progressive Grocer are as follows:
- Walmart Inc. with fiscal year-end sales of $514,410,000 (same rank as 2018)
- The Kroger Co. with fiscal year-end sales of $121,162,000 (same rank as 2018)
- Albertsons Cos. Inc. with fiscal year-end sales of $62,179,000 (same rank as 2018)
- Ahold Delhaize USA with fiscal year-end sales of $48,090,210 (same rank as 2018)
- Publix Super Markets Inc. with fiscal year-end sales of $36,100,000 (same rank as 2018)
- H.E. Butt Grocery Co. with fiscal year-end sales of $26,000,000(same rank as 2018)
- Meijer Inc. with fiscal year-end sales of $17,400,00 (up from number 12 in 2018)
- Wakefern Food Corp. with fiscal year-end sales of $16,500,000 (down from number 7 in 2018)
- Aldi Inc. with fiscal year-end sales of $16,053,440 (same rank as 2018)
- Amazon as Whole Foods Market with fiscal year-end sales of $15,887,300 (down from number 8 in 2018)
Amazon premiered on the list a year ago after it acquired Whole Foods, and it motivated other grocery stores to begin or speed up their investments in technology, shopper insights, and omnichannel selling, according to Progressive Grocer.
Progressive Grocer reports that top grocers such as Walmart, Kroger, and Albertons put a lot of money into online shopping, home delivery, autonomous vehicles, shopping apps, and strategic partnerships in order to attract shoppers. Amazon, on the other hand, may be investigating more brick-and-mortar stores.
Source: Progressive Grocer