The Best Independent Grocers of 2024

Harmons Grocery 

Headquarters: West Valley City, Utah

Number of Stores: 20

Having first opened as a fruit stand back in 1932 — making it the oldest locally owned and operated grocer in the state of Utah — Harmons now also offers handmade artisan breads and gelatos, specialty foods, gourmet cheeses, and local meats, honey and salt, as well as other unique products. According to third-generation owner Bob Harmon, every decision is made with the aim of delivering an outstanding experience. This extends to store personnel, who strive to select the freshest products for customers.

Among shoppers, Harmons is beloved for its “helpful and professional service,” “amazingly friendly” associates, and 5,300-plus local products sourced from an “incredibly talented network of vendor partners,” in the words EVP of Fresh Foods Todd Jensen.

Additionally, the grocer is known for its deep commitment to the community, with donations of money, food and time to improve the quality of life in Utah a huge part of Harmons’ culture. The retailer has given $3 million-plus to local small businesses through its grants program, as well as funding other community causes; contributed more than 30 million pounds of food to Utah Food Bank and mobile pantries; and devoted countless hours of volunteer service to Special Olympics, Bike MS and other nonprofits.

Hayes Market

Headquarters: Waymart, Pa.

Number of Stores: 1

After years of working in and for locally owned Pennsylvania grocery stores — including a 12-year stint at Quinn’s Market, in Archbold — Rich Hayes was finally able to fulfill his dream of owning a supermarket within his community in 2019, with the opening of a location in Waymart. The way that longtime cycling enthusiast and animal lover Hayes decided to set his store apart from the competition was through his commitment to community causes, particularly the annual Pedaling 4 Paws charity bike ride.

In August 2023, he set off on his 12th year of cycling more than 300 miles through eight counties in northeastern Pennsylvania, raising awareness and a record-breaking $52,000 for area animal shelters.

Additionally, Hayes Market has established partnerships with local school districts, supporting students with developmental disabilities through employment opportunities. For these efforts, Hayes received the Employer of the Year award from Wayne County in November 2023.

Among the ways that Hayes markets his company are by maintaining a prominent social media presence and by taking part in a weekly segment on WBRE-TV’s “PA Live!” show, during which the ebullient store owner sometimes appears with his three French bulldogs, known regionally as the official mascots of Hayes Market.

Nugget Markets

Headquarters: Davis, Calif.

Number of Stores: 16

Nugget Markets is distinguished by its RAVE culture, which stands for Respect, Value, Appreciate Everyone. It starts with hiring associates with a desire to serve and flows through to Nugget’s customers, who are always referred to as guests.

To that end, Nugget staffs knowledgeable associates, known as specialists, in every store department to share their information with guests, providing an exceptional shopping experience. Another unique aspect of its business model is creative and attractive merchandising: The grocer’s beautiful stores highlight unusual or local items, as well as showcasing great deals.

Beyond the walls of those stores, Nugget is a pillar of its communities, donating to local food banks and participating in area events. It also awards scholarships to associates attending school, or to the children of current associates.

Additionally, Nugget employs a sophisticated buying system that enables it to take advantage of best-cost products and procure merchandise in its own warehouse. The retailer networks its own facility with its primary supplier, C&S Wholesale Grocers, to lower delivery costs to each store, allowing Nugget to promote more to its customers. This continual quest to drive costs out of the system enables the grocer to compete better in the markets that it serves.

Oliver’s Market

Headquarters: Santa Rosa, Calif.

Number of Stores: 4

For its 35th anniversary, employee-owned Oliver’s Market decided to celebrate in several ways. These included special sales, in-store Meet the Maker events, and, in partnership with its local paper, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, a 35 Reasons Why Sonoma County Loves Oliver’s contest.

Asked to share what they love about shopping at Oliver’s in 15 words or fewer, contestants sent in more than 400 entries, many making reference to the company’s goals of celebrating its employees, serving its community, focusing on local, and offering outstanding quality and customer service. The top 35 contestants won Oliver’s gift cards, with one entrant randomly chosen to receive one worth $350, and their comments were printed on signage used throughout the grocer’s stores. Oliver’s also created a word cloud to highlight the most popular responses. The Press Democrat then hosted a gallery of the winning answers, accompanied by current and historic photography.

“An ultimate measure of how your business is being perceived comes when customers share their sentiments unaided,” Oliver’s notes in its nomination. “As a small business, we cannot afford expensive market research, but to receive such an amazing reflection back of our company goals from our customers is worth its weight in gold.”

Olsen’s Piggly Wiggly 

Headquarters: Cedarburg, Wis.

Number of Stores: 2

Ryan and Megan Olsen, owners of two Piggly Wiggly stores in Cedarburg and Mequon, Wis., are huge contributors to their local communities, regularly donating to such area organizations as Ozaukee Family Services, Mel’s Charities and the Cedarburg Community Scholarship Fund.

Additionally, every year, Olsen’s Piggly Wiggly participates in the Ozaukee County Fair, purchasing the grand-champion steer at the 4H auction, along with four sheep — a move that helps the 4H program tremendously. The grocer also sponsors a range of area events, including a July 4th fireworks display and a food drive, with all monies staying local.

The Olsens came by their community commitment — not to mention their extensive grocery know-how — through long-established ties of family and friendship: Ryan’s parents, Layton and Barbara, ran the Cedarburg store before deciding to retire and sell it to their son and daughter-in-law in 2012, while the younger couple later took over the Mequon store from Paul and Karen Godin when they retired. 

As the Olsens’ nominator observes, “Ryan and Megan’s stores are a pleasure to shop, have outstanding customer service [and are] always looking to be the best grocery store in the area, providing the best services and best quality at the best prices.”

PCC Community Markets

Headquarters: Seattle

Number of Stores: 16

As the largest community-owned food market in the nation, PCC has established the mission of cultivating vibrant, local organic food systems to nourish the areas that it serves. On the occasion of its 70th anniversary in 2023, it introduced a new product standard, the PCC Inclusive Trade Program, to make it easier for people to shop their values and support businesses owned by individuals who identify as members of many historically and currently excluded communities.

So far, more than 60 businesses representing 615-plus products have opted into the Inclusive Trade program, which has created an intentional space for better recognition, elevation and inclusion within the marketplace. “It’s our hope that the work we’re doing to establish and nurture this program at PCC will clear a path for others in the industry to follow,” the cooperative grocer notes in its nomination.

Inclusive Trade is rooted in PCC’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) principles. Earlier in 2023, the grocer released a statement of equity and inclusion, acknowledging its commitment to justice-centered change within the co-op and community food systems. In alignment with the Inclusive Trade program and standard, the statement now serves as a guiding directive for PCC’s actions, work and approach.

Rouses Markets

Headquarters: Schriever, La.

Number of Stores: 63, with five more under construction

Although it’s been around for 64 years, Rouses Markets consistently pioneers innovations as it continues to open new locations and renovate existing stores. It’s simultaneously managed to remain in touch with its roots: In 2023, when Rouses built a new store in Houma, La., a stone’s throw from the site of the family’s first grocery store, which opened in 1960, the company created a drive-thru Houma da Chicken concept allowing customers to pick up the chain’s famous fried chicken without ever entering the store.

In addition to chicken, Rouses offers a range of freshly prepared homestyle dishes reflecting local and regional tastes, including such top sellers as gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, and fried catfish. Not only does it sell more Gulf shrimp and boil more Louisiana crawfish than any other retailer in the region, but also it also makes a whopping 600,000 king cakes during Mardi Gras, more than 10,000 of which are shipped nationwide.

Alongside its dedication to distinctive local food and supporting area food businesses, Rouses fights hunger through a food bank assistance program. Community involvement also includes sponsorships of local schools, sports teams — among them the New Orleans Saints — and festivals across the Gulf Coast.

Save A Lot/Dyer Foods

Headquarters: Dyer, Tenn.

Number of Stores: 4

Having started out more than 40 years ago as a part-time associate at a grocery store in his hometown of Dyer, Tenn., Save A Lot retail partner Joey Hays still maintains a passion for the business. This can be seen in how he doggedly grew his operations over the years, from a single location in 1981 to eventually acquiring four Save A Lot stores in Covington, Millington, Dyersburg and Brownsville, Tenn.

Believing that the Save A Lot model of limited-assortment smaller-box stores and value price points was a blueprint for success, Hays has instituted such programs as a widely popular one-day meat sale event calendar in the second and third quarter, enabling customers to buy pork steak, Western-style pork ribs and fresh ground beef at a $1.99 a pound for one day only. This has led to tremendous sales growth: In the second-quarter sale, all four of his stores tripled their sales numbers from the same time last year. Through this promotion and Hays’ creative leadership, he’s been able to double or triple sales for all of his stores.

Along with his successful supermarkets, Hays’ entrepreneurial spirit has led him to add restaurants and hardware stores to his retail portfolio.

Save A Lot/Freeman Family Enterprises

Headquarters: Gaylord, Mich.

Number of Stores: 19

Run by brothers Tim, Tom and Paul Freeman, Freeman Family Enterprises operates Save A Lot stores in small towns and rural settings across Michigan, with each location committed to delivering high-quality products at value prices.

Investing in store updates and reinventing the shopping experience for their customers are important for the Freemans. Over the past three years, they’ve completed remodels of all 19 stores. The revamped stores, which feature wider, easier-to-shop aisles, are driving a 5.5% sales increase.

As the owners of a small business, the Freemans understand the responsibility that comes with being an employer, and that their success as a business extends to all of their associates as well. By employing 300 people in areas that don’t have a lot of job opportunities, they’re helping to bring stability to local families.

The Freemans’ pride in their store teams has inspired a desire to help the communities that they serve, including through Save A Lot’s annual Bags for a Brighter Holiday initiative, a giving program that allows customers to purchase a bag of nonperishable groceries for donation to a local charity. For the past four years, the Freemans have had stores in the program finish among the top-10 selling locations nationwide. 

Save A Lot/Frenvey Inc.

Headquarters: Lake City, Fla.

Number of Stores: 6

With six Save A Lot locations in towns throughout northwest Florida, as well as an IGA, Mike and Mark Boris know that to win over customers, they must always provide fresh, full, friendly and clean shopping experiences.

What sets the Borises’ stores apart from nearby big-box retailers is their commitment to their associates. They employ 220 people across their stores and are known for investing in development opportunities for their associates. They also promote from within, which has led to a large number of long-term employees, some who have been with the business for more than 40 years.

A great example of the deep bond between the Borises and their people came during Hurricane Idalia. When an assistant manager, Lynette Barton, expressed concern that her home wouldn’t provide adequate shelter during the storm, the brothers graciously allowed her and her loved ones to hunker down in safety at the Chiefland store. While spending the night there, the grateful family worked to ensure that the location would be ready for customers the following day.

Additionally, Mike Boris served on a Save A Lot advisory council consisting of retail partners who provided their expertise to help improve the network as a whole. 

Save A Lot/Horizon Group

Headquarters: Boardman, Ohio

Number of Stores: 19

Second-generation grocers John and Elaine Kawecki and Henry Nemenz, of the Horizon Group, own Save A Lot locations across Pennsylvania and Ohio. Horizon’s founding belief that everyone deserves access to fresh, high-quality food at a value price point, no matter the neighborhood, remains at the core of the family business today. 

To that end, Horizon leadership works to ensure that its store teams have autonomy to do what’s needed to serve customers and make each location better every day. From an operational standpoint, the teams strive to maintain CRISP stores: clean, recovered, in-stock, signed and priced. This consistent execution has kept customers coming back for 30-plus years.

Additionally, Horizon gives back to its less fortunate neighbors with a year-round Hunger Bags program, through which the grocer and its loyal customers donate pantry staples to 16 charitable organizations in the communities where its stores operate. Organizations supported by this initiative include the Alliance Catholic Workers Pantry, the New Castle Rescue Mission and the St. Vincent DePaul Society.

The company’s steadfast commitment to its communities was why it was chosen as the 2023 Save A Lot Hometown Hero, an annual honor recognizing a retailer whose community outreach enables it to stand out. 

Save A Lot/Houchens Food Group

Headquarters: Bowling Green, Ky.

Number of Stores: 90

Houchens Food Group, Save A Lot’s largest retail partner, operates Save A Lot locations across eight states, employing about 1,500 people and often serving as the largest employer in a small rural town.

Outstanding sales and operations are hallmarks of Houchens’ stores. Over the past three years, the grocer has fully updated and remodeled 88 locations, including 23 this past year, with new equipment, flooring, paint and décor, along with hot deals for customers.

Even more notable is Houchens’ care for the community. The company’s locations take part in Save A Lot’s annual Bags for a Brighter Holiday program, Cram the Cruiser and Cram the Fire Truck events held in partnership with local police and fire department to fill vehicles with food for donation, and Toys for Tots activities. Additionally, all Houchens stores participate in fundraising twice a year for St. Jude’s Research Hospital, raising $160,000 in 2023 alone.

The company also went out of its way to help recovery efforts in the wake of devastating floods in eastern Kentucky in 2022, pledging a $120,000 donation to the Foundation for Appalachia Kentucky and, with the help of Save A Lot customers and associates, raising $45,000 for the American Red Cross.

Save A Lot/JCP Groceries

Headquarters: Canton, N.Y.

Number of Stores: 9

Jeff Proulx, who got his start working in his dad’s IGA store, now runs nine Save A Lot locations of his own, in which he continues to invest. Currently, Proulx is finishing up remodeling his stores with a new décor package that includes fresh interior and exterior paint, new lighting, and updated exterior signage.

Beyond such upgrades to the customer experience, Proulx fully embraces the idea of being involved in the communities where his stores operate.

In keeping with this vision, he regularly works with the Lions Club and the Canton, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, he started the Canton Pee-Wee Football program in 1989, taking the helm as its first commissioner and later serving as a board member. The program is still around today, helping kids and families get involved in such sports as baseball, soccer, softball and football. The organization’s mission statement reflects Proulx’s goals of providing opportunities for personal growth and development of young athletes while also reinforcing positive influences, self-confidence, and the ability to excel on and off the field.

As a result of this work, Proulx has received such honors as the Canton Chamber Member of the Year and the New York State Small Business Administration Award. 

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Save A Lot/McPherson Ltd.

Headquarters: North Charleston, S.C.

Number of Stores: 3

What makes Shannon McPherson’s Save A Lot stores so special? His customers will say that McPherson’s drive to provide high-quality food at affordable prices is what keeps them coming back, along with the welcoming attitude of his staff.

Eighteen months ago, McPherson, who already operated a store in Lexington, Tenn., took on a new challenge and purchased a second location, in North Charleston, S.C. Unlike his first store, the new one is in an urban area, something he wasn’t familiar with, although he was eager to jump in and start making a positive impact in the community. As part of McPherson’s determination to go all in with the new store, he and his family actually moved to the area from their home in Tennessee.

According to McPherson, the move was his way of giving all he had to make the store successful. Within three months, he had accomplished that through such strategies as a daily in-store fresh-cut meat program, which helps distinguish his stores from the competition.

With two successful Save A Lot stores in his portfolio, McPherson is setting his sights on growth again: He’s just opened a third store, also in the Charleston area, early this year.

Save A Lot/MVP Foods

Headquarters: Demotte, Ind.

Number of Stores: 9

Save A Lot retail partner Todd Hinson’s stores are known for their outstanding customer service and well-merchandised stores, as Hinson realized early on in his career that mastering those two components would set his stores up for success. As a result, his stores outperform others in Indiana by an average of 700 basis points per week in retail sales.

Having locations in various communities enables Hinson to merchandise each store to fit the needs of the customers there. This is done by keeping key local products on hand, as well as offerings from area eateries, enabling Hinson to build trust among customers who know that his stores will carry their local favorites.

Another way that Hinson has set his Save A Lot stores apart from the competition is by carrying seasonal plants during the summer. With several stores in rural areas, he often heard customers’ frustrations at having to drive to larger towns to purchase these seasonal items. To help make access easier, Hinson worked to source a variety of seasonal plants at affordable prices.

Yet another key differentiator is how invested Hinson is in keeping costs low; he strives to get the best prices to bring customers added value.

Save A Lot/Saver Group

Headquarters: Berea, Ky.

Number of Stores: 39

Operating Save A Lot stores across Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina, the Saver Group’s Larry Noe and Dale and Wendell Combs work together as a team to serve the various communities that they serve and the people who call them home.

When record-setting flooding devastated communities across eastern Kentucky in July 2022, the Saver Group’s Carlisle store sustained extensive water damage and had to close until it could be made operational, forcing residents to travel more than 20 miles to the next largest town to purchase groceries. Because of the severity of the structural damage to the building, the only path forward was to demolish the old building and find a new site. Despite construction delays, the Saver Group was persistent in its goal to get the Carlisle Save A Lot up and running.

In May 2023, just 10 months from the day of the flood, the Saver Group held a grand-reopening event at the new Carlisle store to mark this community milestone. Since the store was a brand-new build, it enabled Saver Group to give the community a state-of-the-art store featuring the latest technology, and its shoppers have responded positively. Since the store opened, it has served 85,000-plus customers.

Save A Lot/Suzanne Schmitz

Headquarters: Warsaw, N.Y.

Number of Stores: 7

Suzanne Schmitz’s love of grocery began with her first-ever summer job, working in a Save A Lot for one of the company’s independent license owners when she was 16 years old. Fast-forward to the present day, and Schmitz now owns and operates seven Save A Lot stores of her own across New York state, with plans to open an eighth this year; she also operates four locations for another ownership group in the area.

Schmitz believes that a store owner must know her employees and customers intimately; maintain a consistent, hands-on presence; and be involved in the intricacies and local needs of the business. Further, she keeps her pricing low and always seeks opportunities to woo customers. To that end, Schmitz created a weekend sale event bringing in various novel seafood options to drive traffic. This concept is now widely used by many other Save A Lot owner groups.

She also serves on the company’s retailer advisory council to provide feedback and shape programming for the broader network, and is a willing test participant in such ventures as an in-store pilot of Healthy Benefits Cards, a program now slated to roll out to all Save A Lot locations in 2024.

Schnuck Markets Inc.

Headquarters: St. Louis

Number of Stores: 115

Founded in St. Louis in 1939, family-owned Schnucks has a decades-long commitment to its surrounding communities, particularly when it comes to hunger and food insecurity. Its biggest partner in this endeavor is Operation Food Search (OFS); over 40-plus years, the grocer has donated nearly $200 million worth of food to support the nonprofit and its partner food pantries.

OFS recently used part of a $15,000 donation from Schnucks to distribute 2,000 $5 fresh produce vouchers to members and patients of four area nonprofits, to be redeemed at the St. Louis MetroMarket, the organization’s mobile grocery store that travels to underserved neighborhoods. The remaining $5,000 of the donation enabled the MetroMarket to make five weekend flex stops at additional community sites. Schnucks also provided volunteers for two MetroMarket events.

The grocer has also rolled out the Community Kitchen, a full-service facility on wheels staffed by employee volunteers and able to be quickly deployed to communities throughout Schnucks’ Midwest footprint to provide relief to areas affected by natural disasters. So far, the Community Kitchen has been dispatched to locations dealing with flooding and power outages, as well as being used for store celebrations and other community events sponsored or supported by Schnucks.

Teal’s Market

Headquarters: Albany, Minn.

Number of Stores: 12

The story of Teal’s Market began more than 75 years ago, when George and Pearl Teal opened the Red Owl Grocery Store, in Cass Lake, Minn. Today, the company’s 12 stores are run by fifth-generation owner Andrea Teal, a champion of promoting women in the industry — many of her locations have female managers.

Teal’s showcases innovation through a robust and engaged online presence, maintaining a lively Facebook page with 10,000-plus followers. What also sets the grocer apart is a deep appreciation for its customers through such means as in-store giveaways of sought-after seasonal items, cart bingo promotions enabling shoppers to win store gift cards, and weekly value-added or free items.

Since the Teal family believes that philanthropy and community engagement are key to running successful independent stores, its locations offer a rebate program enabling shoppers to earn 1% on qualifying purchases, to be donated to a nonprofit. The stores also participate in Labels for Learning, an initiative aiding local schools and community organizations. Beyond these ongoing initiatives, Teal’s supports one-time and seasonal projects at local organizations with employee volunteers. 

These priorities have driven success, leading Teal’s to be a SpartanNash Vision Award winner for its impressive 7% year-over-year sales growth.

Three Bears Alaska

Headquarters: Wasilla, Alaska

Number of Stores: 27

Since its founding way back in 1980, Three Bears Alaska has provisioned the state’s residents with everything necessary to take on the Last Frontier. Whether shoppers are stocking up on ammo and supplies for a big moose hunt, making a weekly grocery run or filling up the tank for a long haul, Three Bears has everything that Alaskans are looking for.

With stores located in remote towns along Alaska’s longest highways, the company could easily charge higher retail prices to maximize profits. Instead, its core strategy has been to develop loyalty based on value, pricing, customer service and merchandise mix. Maintaining its status as the price leader for groceries, fuel and general merchandise is central to the Three Bears brand promise, and the grocer’s consumers have rewarded it with unwavering loyalty in return.

Over the past 40-plus years, the company has grown to become the largest family-owned retailer in Alaska while maintaining its commitment to being a one-stop shop with the best prices and selection in its local communities. Currently, with support from private-equity firm Westward Partners, Three Bears describes itself as being “on a continued growth trajectory that will allow [us] to meet consumers where they live and work.”

Tom’s Food Markets

Headquarters: Traverse City, Mich.

Number of Stores: 5

Tom’s Food Market is uniquely positioned as a major player in a popular resort area. Guided by Nancy Deering Sands and her husband, Ed, Tom’s stores feature programs to support tourists visiting Traverse City, Mich., year-round. For instance, the company partners with a specialized service enabling shoppers visiting the area to have groceries stocked ahead of time at their cabins or rental properties.

Closer to home, Tom’s leverages relationships with Michigan vendors and businesses to provide access to a wide selection of local products. Additionally, it provides access to an exclusive online ordering and pickup service, as well as actively engaging with the community via social media. Shoppers love Tom’s for its exclusive prepared food offerings, including freshly baked bagels, store-made deli sandwiches and pizza.

Reinvesting in Tom’s is a top priority for the Sands, who have recently revitalized the brand to create a store environment that’s even more friendly and welcoming. This massive undertaking included renovations, remodels and resets at all locations. The investment has already paid off, as shoppers love the new look and feel of the stores.

Meanwhile, in the area of community outreach, Tom’s was voted “Simply the Best” by readers of the Traverse City Record-Eagle.