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Not Aldi, not Costco: this is Consumer Reports' highest-rated grocery chain in the Northeast. By Rolland Judd Aug. 18, 2026 7:00 pm EST Grocery stores across the country all do things a little differently. Whether it's taking steps to improve customer service or implementing policies that jive with their logistics, each choice contributes to the store's identity and sets them apart from the competition. One chain grocery store with a dedicated following is Wegmans, which recently saw its efforts to provide top-notch products and service rewarded by Consumer Reports, which ranked it as the highest-rated grocery chain in the Northeast. The report awarded between 1 and 5 points to various categories based on survey results from over 75,000 customers. In terms of fresh store-prepared items, meat and poultry quality, and helpfulness or attentiveness of employees (among other categories), Wegmans impressed folks enough to earn it top marks. It only garnered a less-than-perfect score in 3 out of 13 categories, two of which had to do with prices. Trader Joe's received a respectable second-place rating and Market Basket rounded out the top three. Costco (the fourth-place finisher) and Aldi (seventh) garner a lot of attention for selling merchandise at low prices, and that's reflected in their scores. Costco's affordable Kirkland Signature brand beat Wegmans for its store brand quality, and both Aldi and Costco scored higher for prices on organic options, which is a bit surprising given that Wegmans sources local produce from a company-owned farm in New York. Still, those small victories weren't enough to edge Wegmans out of the number one spot. Wegmans has been receiving praise for years. Wegmans (which intentionally ditched the apostrophe in its name years ago) isn't a new kid on the block. It has been refining how it sells groceries since its founding in 1916 and has expanded its footprint to over 110 stores today. Its goal is simple: To provide the best for customers, whether that means phenomenal customer service, great deals on household essentials, or high-quality prepared foods. Being rated the top grocery store in the Northeast isn't the only accolade Wegmans has under its belt. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified the grocery chain as a Safer Choice Retailer from 2014 to 2020 for selling cleaning products that coincide with Safer Choice guidelines. From 2017 to 2025, it has been included in People magazine's list of 50 Companies That Care due to its efforts toward creating a better tomorrow for employees, the environment, and its local communities (in 2021, it topped that list). Even Wegmans pharmacy is recognized as exceptional, being ranked the Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Supermarket Pharmacies by J.D. Power in 2025. Customers heap praise on the store as well. One Yelp reviewer wrote, "I thoroughly enjoy Wegman's [sic], they churn out some good sushi, their bakery is always on point and their pizza to go sets the standards high." Another Yelper confirmed it is deserving of its perfect score for customer service, saying, "In a store that large and fairly crowded employees still took the time to help." If you're a Costco or Aldi devotee in the Northeast, it may be worth dipping into Wegmans one day to see if the hype is real.

Wegmans, Publix in top 5 of People's 2026 companies that Care. Share via: Two grocers landed in the top five of People's 10th annual 100 Companies that Care list, with Wegmans Food Markets ranked No. 2 and Publix Super Markets at No. 4. Delta Air Lines topped this year's list. Produced by People magazine and workplace culture firm Great Place To Work, the list highlights top U.S. companies that are successful in business while demonstrating respect, care and concern for their employees, communities and the planet. Other food retailers on the list include Target at No. 29; Hy-Vee at No. 55; and convenience store operator Sheetz at No. 73. Wegmans' track record. This is Wegmans' 10th time being named to the list. The Rochester, New York-based company also ranked No. 5 on the 100 Best Companies to Work For list and No. 3 on the Best Workplaces in New York this year, and in 2025 was named a Best Workplace for Parents, a Best Workplace for Women and No. 1 on Fortune's Best Workplaces in Retail list. Colleen Wegman, president and CEO of Wegmans Food Markets, said, "Caring is our number one value, and this honor reflects the culture our employees create every day through the care they show for one another, our customers and our communities. We are grateful that our values are made visible through our people's actions every day." Wegmans is a regional supermarket chain with 114 stores along the East Coast. The family company has been named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For 29 consecutive years. Publix points to associate, community care. Publix offers associates an extensive benefits package, from company ownership to a promote-from-within culture. The Lakeland, Florida-based grocer is the largest employee-owned company in the U.S., offering associates ownership through its employee stock ownership plan, 401(k) plan and employee stock purchase plan. "At Publix, we are committed to supporting our associates and giving back to the communities we serve," said Maria Brous, director of communications. "Our founder, George Jenkins, set an example of caring for both associates and the community, and we're honored to continue a legacy of service that values people, strengthens communities and remains central to who we are more than 95 years later." Through its Good Together food donation program, Publix provides safe, unsold food from its deli, grocery, meat and produce departments to Feeding America partner food banks. The company donated more than 140 million pounds of food in 2025, a single-year record for the program. Publix also recycled more than 800 million pounds of materials last year, and customers and associates donated nearly $2 million during its Good Together environmental campaign in April. Supplier side honorees. The Wonderful Company, the Los Angeles-based agriculture company whose brands include Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Seedless Lemons, Pom Wonderful, Fiji Water and Justin, Landmark and Lewis Cellars wines, ranked No. 27 after topping the list in 2025. The company, one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S., has been recognized for its Wonderful Career Pathways program, through which more than 1,600 Central Valley students have graduated with an associate's degree since 2018, and for the more than $2.5 billion its owners, Lynda and Stewart Resnick, have invested in education, health and community initiatives along with their foundations and the company. About the list. Great Place To Work selected the 2026 list by analyzing more than 1.3 million confidential survey responses from companies representing more than 7.3 million U.S. employees. Of those, nearly 970,000 responses came from employees at eligible companies, and rankings are based on that feedback, derived from 60 employee experience questions within the Great Place To Work Trust Index Survey along with essays submitted by participating companies. "Employees are under immense pressure, and the best workplaces are finding ways to support them in the ways they need," said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. "When employees feel that sense of care, they do incredible things, delivering the crucial results that grow businesses and build new markets." For more grocery news, view its grocery news page. The Shelby Report delivers complete grocery news and supermarket insights nationwide through the distribution of five monthly regional print and digital editions. Serving the retail food trade since 1967,... More by Shelby Team