You're right, context matters. I meant the Chicago metro area.storewanderer wrote: ↑May 1st, 2023, 11:38 pm
Those numbers are for the "Chicago area." Meijer has zero stores in Chicago proper (the areas where Wal Mart is closing 4 stores). It will also be interesting to see how those numbers change once the closures Wal Mart is doing are reflected. I am guessing it will cost them a percent of share.
The nearest Meijer to Chicago proper is 10+ miles away from the center of Chicago, down in Evergreen Park. Meijer actually hasn't done all that great around Chicago. They did close two "Marketplace" (their answer to Wal Mart Neighborhood Market) units in Berwyn and Melrose Park in 2017 (those opened in 2011 and 2012 respectively) and also in 2016 closed a full-ish size (102k sq ft) store in Niles in 2016 that opened in 2010. Perhaps after those closures things got better for them. They have done many remodels since these closures. But they have had more problems in Chicago than a lot of other markets.
Chicago is a difficult market. You would need to go walk some stores there to understand. The customer base is very demanding and very particular with what they want to purchase, and they are somewhat price sensitive. You have some very picky cooks there who want ingredients that meet their exact standards. You have to look at how they rejected Safeway's California/no competition style of operations (super high pricing, too much private label, regional brands downplayed or gone) to get an idea of what the customer in that market will and won't put up with.
I am surprised Target is not showing up in the top 5 given the number of stores they have around there, both small format and larger size. But they are such a lousy grocer and there are so many better options in Chicago area, I am not too surprised. Super Kmart was also quite weak around Chicago.
I'm guessing Jewel does a good job of tailoring their stores to ethnic neighborhoods in order to be so successful. I'm hoping Kroger runs Jewel semi-autonomous like HT.