Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Food Lion, and More: The Analytics Behind Where People Buy Groceries

How does where you live impact your access to groceries? Which brands operate in which types of areas?

This Week We’re Asking…

• How does where you live affect where you can get groceries?
• Which grocery chains locate in which types of areas?
• How does store density vary by region type (urban, suburban, rural)?

We’ll be covering industry research, geographic analysis, and market planning.

Photo by nrd on Unsplash

How much thought do you put into where you shop for groceries?

My guess is — not much. You pick a store that’s relatively close and meets your needs — lowest cost, best selection, product mix, or whatever else is important to you.

Looking at the bigger picture, the availability, variety, and density of grocery stores is quite different across market segments.

If you live in an area that’s more urban, you’ll have higher store volume and variety.

If you live in a rural area, you’ll have more limited options and may find your only option to be a non-traditional grocer like Dollar General.