H-E-B dethrones Trader Joe’s as America’s top grocer, survey says

Regional supermarket chain H-E-B has beaten out Trader Joe’s to be named America’s top grocery store, according to a survey from data science firm dunnhumby.

The San Antonio-based company, which operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, topped dunnhumby's third annual Retailer Preference Index for U.S. grocery stores. The survey's top slot had previously been held by Trader Joe's for the last two years.

The London-based dunnhumby surveyed 7,000 households across America to name the top 14 grocers in the U.S. based on seven metrics: price, quality, digital, operations, convenience, discounts or rewards and speed.

“One of the most important findings is that leading traditional regional grocers are experiencing a resurgence in customer preference, by winning with relevance and convenience,” Jose Gomes, president of North American for dunnhumby, said Wednesday in a news release. “In the end, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to winning in this market, and retailers with customer-first strategies are most likely to fare best.”

According to dunnhumby, the other grocers that made it into the top 14 in its survey were:

2. Trader Joe's

3. Amazon

4. Market Basket

5. Wegmans Food Markets

6. Costco

7. Aldi

8. Sam's Club

9. Walmart

10. Publix

11. WinCo Foods

12. Fresh Thyme