Winning one category in a national grocery ranking is a press release. Winning five is a verdict. The Fresh Market swept the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, taking first place for Best Grocery Store, Best Grocery Store Bakery, Best Grocery Store Deli, Best Grocery Store for Produce, and Best Grocery Store Prepared Food — a clean five-category haul that marks the fifth time the chain has claimed the overall top spot. Nominees were selected by a panel of local experts, then put to a 28-day public vote. Readers decided. That distinction matters.
More Than a Trophy Case
What sets this 172-store specialty chain apart from your average supermarket run.
Founded in 1982 by Ray and Beverly Berry in Greensboro, North Carolina, The Fresh Market was inspired by European food markets — smaller, curated, personal. That DNA still shows across 172 stores in 22 states. CEO Brian Johnson described the company’s approach as cutting meat fresh in stores every day, with each location staffed to handle on-site preparation. According to Johnson, the wins reflect his teams, guest relationships, and a commitment to making the everyday eating experience — in his words — “both extraordinary and easy.”
Key facts from the 2026 recognition:
- First place: Best Grocery Store, USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards
- First place in four sub-categories: Best Grocery Store Bakery, Deli, Produce, and Prepared Food
- Fifth overall win in this award’s history
- 172 stores across 22 states, with further expansion planned
Customers cited in coverage praised specific details — steam-bag vegetable variety, clean and organized produce floors, the Peppercorn Steak Market meal kit. These are individual voices, not a statistical survey. Still, a consistent pattern emerges: shoppers notice when a store genuinely tries.
Prepared meals and meal kits sit at the center of The Fresh Market’s pitch. For anyone trying to cook something that doesn’t taste like a Tuesday-night compromise, that positioning lands. The chain’s ready-to-eat options with a specialty-market feel address what neither big-box grocers nor restaurant delivery reliably offers.
How It Stacks Up
Publix, Kroger, and ALDI all made the rankings — each earning loyalty on entirely different terms.
The same awards featured Publix, praised by shoppers for cleanliness and friendly service; Kroger, valued for range and convenience; and ALDI, recognized for price. Each chain earns its audience differently. The Fresh Market’s readers gravitated toward curated selection and fresh-department depth. That a specialty grocer can compete this visibly alongside national giants reflects a clear shift in what many shoppers now prioritize at the checkout line.
At 172 stores, The Fresh Market remains boutique relative to the country’s largest supermarket chains. Growing that footprint without losing the qualities that earned five first-place votes — that is the real test ahead.
