The Most Popular Grocery Store in Your State

Hy-Vee operates exclusively in the Midwest, with over 240 retail locations in eight states. Founded in 1930, Charles L. Hyde and David Vredenburg later combined their surnames to create the Hy-Vee brand name now recognized 90 years later. There are 11 Hy-Vee locations in Kansas.

Kroger beat grocery chains like Trader Joe’s, Meijer, Whole Foods Market, and more to rank as the most popular grocery store in Kentucky. Originally founded just across the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Kroger is not just the most popular grocer in Kentucky, but the entire country. No supermarket company had higher revenue in 2019 than Kroger.

There are 64 Rouses locations across the Southern United States, 53 of which are in Louisiana. The grocer was founded by Anthony J. Rouse, Sr. in Houma, Louisiana, in 1960. The company is still independent and family-run, with CEO Donny Rouse the third generation to run the company.

Maine is one of three states in which Hannaford Brothers Company ranks as the most popular grocer. Founded in Portland, Maine in 1902, the grocer now has over 180 locations in five New England states. The grocer is a subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize, a Belgian food retail company that owns other American grocers like Giant, Food Lion, and Stop & Shop.

Giant Food claims it was the first supermarket in Washington, D.C., after opening its first location in 1936. Now, it has over 160 locations in D.C. and the surrounding area, including in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Like other grocers on this list — including Hannaford Brothers Company, Food Lion, and Stop & Shop — Giant Food is owned by Belgian grocery retailer Ahold Delhaize.