Retail

H-E-B tops U.S. grocery rankings for the fifth time in nine years

H-E-B has reclaimed the No. 1 spot in U.S. grocery rankings, per a Dunnhumby study cited by Fox Business. The analysis covers 81 major stores and surveys more than 11,000 shoppers, signaling a shift toward regional chains amid ongoing price pressures—though independent verification requires access to the original results.

📅 January 21, 2026
⏱️ 2 min read
H-E-B tops U.S. grocery rankings for the fifth time in nine years

Key Takeaways

  • H-E-B named No. 1 in a Dunnhumby study cited by Fox Business, its fifth No. 1 finish in nine years.
  • The study evaluated 81 major U.S. grocers and included shopper responses from more than 11,000 consumers.
  • For the first time, the top three retailers are all regional chains, signaling a shift away from national players.
  • Top 10 includes Market Basket No. 2, Woodman’s No. 3, Costco No. 4, with Aldi, WinCo Foods, Trader Joe’s, Amazon, Wegmans, and ShopRite also in the mix.
  • Sam’s Club dropped six spots, and Amazon slipped after topping rankings in 2021–2022.

People Involved

  • No specific individuals mentioned

Entities Involved

  • H-E-BGrocery retailer (family-owned; founded 1905)
  • Market BasketRegional grocery chain
  • Woodman’sRegional grocery chain
  • CostcoWholesale/cash-and-carry retailer
  • AldiGlobal discount grocer
  • WinCo FoodsRegional grocer
  • Trader Joe’sGrocery retailer
  • AmazonE-commerce & grocery footprint; former top ranker
  • WegmansRegional grocery chain
  • ShopRiteGrocery retailer
  • Sam’s ClubMembership-based retailer
  • DunnhumbyAnalytics firm that conducted the study
  • Fox BusinessMedia outlet citing the study

MarketMoodz Analysis

Investors should note the tilt toward regional chains could reshape market share dynamics, pricing strategies, and store footprint decisions. For investors and real estate developers, regional brands may gain pricing power through localized sourcing and community alignment, while national players face renewed pressure to cut costs and accelerate efficiency.

Historically, national chains have dominated the top of these rankings; this shift toward regional players mirrors inflation-driven price sensitivity and evolving shopping preferences. The study blends financial performance with shopper sentiment, but the details and year of ranking require access to the original Dunnhumby document.

What to watch next: await the original study release, monitor December CPI updates for food prices, and track expansion plans and margin resilience among regional chains as inflation persists.

Source: Original Article

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