Consumer Reports Best Supermarkets (USA) list (based on produce and store-prepared-meal quality)

[GlorifiedRice]

1 Wegmans
2 Publix
3 Trader Joe's
4 Fareway Stores
5 Market Basket (Northeast)
6 Costco
7 Raley's
8 Sprouts Farmers Market
9 Fresh Market
10 Stater Bros.
11 WinCo
12 Hy-Vee
13 H-E-B
14 Aldi
15 Whole Foods Market
16 Fry's
17 Harris-Teeter
18 King Soopers
19 Fred Meyer
20 Food City (KY, TN, VA)
21 Hannaford
22 Meijer
23 Dillons
24 Smith's Food & Drug
25 Lowes Foods (NC)
26 ShopRite
27 Schnucks
28 Food 4 Less
29 County Market
30 QFC
31 Kroger
32 Save Mart
33 Ingles
34 IGA
35 Bashas'
36 Marsh
37 Piggly Wiggly
38 Tom Thumb
39 Giant (PA)
40 Cub Foods
41 Shoppers Food & Pharmacy
42 BJ's Wholesale Club
43 Big Y
44 Ralphs
45 Target/SuperTarget
46 BI-LO (GA, NC, SC, TN)
47 Sam's Club
48 Brookshire's
49 Vons
50 Albertsons
51 Price Chopper (Northeast)
52 Food Lion
53 Weis
54 Giant Eagle
55 Winn-Dixie
56 Giant (DC, DE, MD, VA)
57 Randalls
58 Safeway
59 Jewel-Osco
60 Stop & Shop
61 Acme
62 Pick 'n Save
63 Tops Markets
64 Shaw's
65 Pathmark
66 A&P
67 Walmart Supercenter
68 Waldbaum's

 

The report is here: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/05/americas-best-supermarkets/index.htm

 

Any surprises? Do you all agree with this list? I think Acme should be lower in spite of their restructuring...And I really cant agree with Giant of Pa being lower than ShopRite, ShopRite is too messy and confusing to me. Giant of Pa is truly an all around great mkt. Wegmans is great but I could never shop there every day, its just too much. And I laughed out loud at Trader Joes and Aldi beating Whole Paycheck...

[radtek]

Ah I'm glad to see HEB is rated #13 and beating Whole Foods' #15 place on the list. And I really like Fred Meyer in Fairbanks Alaska.

[gfweb]

And Acme Markets is near the bottom. As it should be.

[Martin Fisher]

I'm surprised that Wegmans is at the top of the list, they've very seriously gone down hill in recent years...especially since the old man died.

[gfron1]

I prefer the recognition from the NASFT for stores where you get the likes of AJs (Tucson based) and other smaller shops that put out amazing products https://www.specialtyfood.com/awards/retailer/retailer-winners/https://www.specialtyfood.com/awards/retailer/retailer-winners/.

[gulfporter]

We moved to Central FL last year so Publix was new to us.  They have outstanding customer service but their prices reflect this high level of service.  It is the least stressful large grocery chain in which I've ever shopped.  But the one nearest us is a bit of struggle traffic-wise and for parking. 

 

TJ's just opened a new store in downtown St. Petersburg (12 minute drive for us); I was a fan of TJs for decades in DC-Metro and missed it a lot when we lived in AZ and Mexico.   I buy most of our wine, chocolate and snack foods there. 

 

Aldi's....hmmmm.  I've never been.  Never saw one until we moved to FL and based on the two I've seen in rather run-down strip centers, I assumed they were humdrum low-market markets.  I recently read they are owned by TJ's...is that true?  I also heard they do not take cc's...true??  

 

We buy all of our proteins at this place http://www.mazzarosmarket.com/  and buy all our produce at a small but interesting produce stand that's a 5 minute bicycle ride away.  

[radtek]

Trader Joes is clean, has great service and prices are decent for the quality. However it seems to me that they are more about prepared prepackaged foodstuffs; lots of it frozen- it's really the bulk of what they carry. Perhaps that's what people really want?

 

Third on the list seems way way too high based on my experiences. I'd rank Whole Foods over TJ's. 

 

That makes me suspect the impartiality or objectiveness of the study.

[Naftal]

I assume that Busch's did not make the list because it is only in Michigan. It is one of my faves. 

[gulfporter]

I prefer the recognition from the NASFT for stores where you get the likes of AJs (Tucson based) and other smaller shops that put out amazing products https://www.specialtyfood.com/awards/retailer/retailer-winners/https://www.specialtyfood.com/awards/retailer/retailer-winners/.

Aaaaah....AJ's.  Fun place.  We would drive 200 miles RT (from Bisbee) to their Tucson store.  

[Lisa Shock]

It's nice seeing Sprouts on the list.

 

AJ's is good, the secret is that they are owned by Bashas's, which also owns Food City. They all source their produce from the same places so, you can get the same produce for less at FC or Basha's. That said, when you really need salt-cured capers, there's no place like AJ's.

[gfron1]

And let's state this more correctly - Aldi owns Trader Joe's. Chicken. Egg.

[ElsieD]

For us Canadians with a reasonably close Aldi, , does Aldi carry TJ products?

Edited April 4, 2015 by ElsieD (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

For us Canadians with a reasonably close Aldi, , does Aldi carry TJ products?

 

 

Some things yes. but you have to have a eye for it...Ive seen the same cheeses and Colossal Shrimp

[ElsieD]

Some things yes. but you have to have a eye for it...Ive seen the same cheeses and Colossal Shrimp

Thanks. I've never had the pleasure of shopping at TJs but I have been in the Aldi store in Ogdensburg which is about an hour from me. Is there a particular label I should look for? Our major grocery stores have discount stores that will also carry the same house brands.

[GlorifiedRice]

 

Aldi's....hmmmm.  I've never been.  Never saw one until we moved to FL and based on the two I've seen in rather run-down strip centers, I assumed they were humdrum low-market markets.  I recently read they are owned by TJ's...is that true?  I also heard they do not take cc's...true??  

 

[Martin Fisher]

Aldi sucks!!!!

[GlorifiedRice]

Aldi sucks!!!!

 

Why do you say that? give us reasons.

[GlorifiedRice]

Trader Joes is clean, has great service and prices are decent for the quality. However it seems to me that they are more about prepared prepackaged foodstuffs; lots of it frozen- it's really the bulk of what they carry. Perhaps that's what people really want?

 

Third on the list seems way way too high based on my experiences. I'd rank Whole Foods over TJ's. 

 

That makes me suspect the impartiality or objectiveness of the study.

 

Radtek? I suspect its because Whole Foods has no 'regular food"...Its not one stop shopping. If you go there you will spend a ton of money for 2 bags of food and then the next day you'll have to go to the regular supermarket ...

 

Id be at Trader Joes a lot more if mine wasnt in Gateway Shopping Center in KOP, Pa...That parking lot is horrible,

[Martin Fisher]

My neighbor is a shut-in. I've shopped for her there a few times.

Below is what I've noticed about some of the products she's purchsed......

 

Carbon Monoxide treated fresh meat!

Underweight eggs with the occasional bloody yolk!

Underweight cheese!

Un-graded solution soaked frozen chickens!

Xanathan gum thickened cottage cheese!

Nasty Chinese frozen fish! <Gross>

All around crappy low quality and inconsistent food products!!

The sugar is inferior beet sugar, the flour is inferior as well.

The sour cream was runny,the runniest I've ever seen.

The ham is LOADED with sugar - the equivalent of of almost 1 and 2/3 tablespoons of sugar per pound.

In the produce section, the cauliflower and onions were covered with aspergillus niger (black mold).

Package sizes are often not standard - Frozen broccoli at Aldi is .99 for 12 ounces while the frozen broccoli at the predominant grocery store in this area is .99 for 16 ounces - tricking many people who don't watch package sizes closely into thinking they're getting a better deal.

Many of the frozen foods are freezer burned, or loaded with ice crystals!

Canned sardines full of sandy gritty roe! Yuck!

 

I wouldn't mention the word Aldi anywhere near her anymore....LOL
She had very bad luck with Aldi stuff over the holidays. (a couple years ago)
She baked a ham from there that literally turned into a cinder because, I think, it had too much added sugar. She actually baked it 25 degrees less than what was recommended because it started to turn black early on, she's no cooking novice and I know that her oven is properly calibrated because she bakes cakes all the time for extra income and always uses an oven thermometer.
She was making something with their cottage cheese that required heating the cottage cheese, it all turned to liquid!!!
Oh, and she bought dog biscuits there that were full of little black beetles that infested her pantry.

[gfweb]

I walked through an Aldi in Pittsburgh and had the same impression, DDF. Produce and meats looked tired.

[cyalexa]

There are a total of 5 grocery stores in my town - 2 SuperWalmarts, an Aldi, a Food Pyramid, and a Consumer's IGA.

 

Aldi generally has the lowest prices. If one makes careful selections one will find certain items to be of adequate to good quality and therefore a good value. I regularly buy their milk, mixed nuts, and pistachios. I have purchased limes, mushrooms, and bananas frequently; potatoes, onions, cauliflower, broccoli and berries on occasion. I once bought rib eye steaks and they were fine. I find their line of plastic bags and plastic film almost as good as the name brand and way better than Walmart's brand. Their aluminum foil is adequate. The baby dills are decent but I didn't care for their relish. The organic spring mix in the clamshell usually looks bad. Once it looked OK so I tried it and it was OK but just barely. I never purchased anything that was infested or spoiled. Once I bought some green bananas that never ripened. They both replaced them with a new bunch and refunded the purchase price of the original. 

 

I have to drive almost an hour to get to a Sprouts or Sams and farther to get to Whole Foods. I do so every 3-4  weeks but clearly have to cherry pick from the local stores for most things. Fortunately, we have a great farmers market and I go every Saturday.

[Shelby]

Wait wait wait.  Aldi, the discount store in the big city closest to me that you have to pay to get a cart and sack you own groceries OWNS Trader Joe's? 

Edited April 5, 2015 by Shelby (log)

[cyalexa]

Wait wait wait.  Aldi, the discount store in the big city closest to me that you have to pay to get a cart and sack you own groceries OWNS Trader Joe's? 

You "rent" the cart for a refundable quarter. You get your quarter back when the cart is returned. Not a big deal and there are no stray carts taking up parking spaces.  Yes you sack your own groceries. I prefer that and use the self-serve lanes at stores that offer them. I hate it when clerks bounce my carefully selected produce.

[IowaDee]

Yup it does.  Talk about your bastard stepchild, here it is.  Our Aldi's is always verging towards funky.   I will say the produce can be good at times but I feel as if there is a 20 minute window for some stuff   Our favorite taco joint has amazing chips and salsa.  I asked if they made their own chips and she shook her head and brought out a bag of them from Aldi's.  I read their ads on line and just shop for the super bargains like fresh pineapples for a buck that are wonderful.  

 

When I say "our Aldi's" I mean 26 miles away.  "Close" is a relatlive term out in the sticks.

[Deryn]

Fresh Market (which I am surprised to see mentioned at all because as far as I know it is a relatively small outfit still and quite local to western NC) in 9th place and Earthfare (similar size, similarly local, similar goods but usually actually cheaper and equal if not better quality) not mentioned ... hmmm.

 

What were the criteria? I have to wonder how much money was involved. I know Consumer Reports is supposed to be impartial but I have to question this list.

 

And where is Central Market in TX? They have to be one of the best in the country imho. If Fresh Market can make this list, surely Central can too.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Deryn (log)