A regional grocery chain that most Americans have never visited was just named the best in the US.
Wegmans ranks as Americans’ favorite grocery chain, according to Market Force Information’s annual survey of the industry, which was released on Tuesday.
This is the second year in a row that Wegmans has earned the top spot — although this year, it was forced to share the crown with Publix, a Southeastern supermarket chain.
With a score of 77% satisfaction, Wegmans and Publix beat out No. 2 Tracer Joe’s and No. 3 H-E-B.
Wegmans began as the Rochester Fruit & Vegetable Company in 1916, and is still headquartered in Rochester, New York.
The chain was founded by brothers Walter and John Wegman and remains family-owned, with Danny Wegman serving as CEO and his daughter, Colleen Wegman, serving as president.
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Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press
Wegmans stores are larger than the average grocery store, emphasizing variety and fresh products. The company reports that locations stock 50,000 to 70,000 products in its largest stores. The average supermarket stocks slightly more than 40,000 products, according to the Food Marketing Institute.
Wegmans stores generally range from 75,000 to 140,000 square feet.
The stores also have to be large enough to fit various extras that are foreign to many supermarkets.
Many locations have cafes, pizzerias, sushi bars, and buffets, plus seating areas for 100 to 300 people where customers can eat their food.
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