7 produce purveyors make NRF 2024 Hot 25 Retailers List

Six grocery retailers and the Defense Commissary Agency made this year’s National Retail Federation 2024 Hot 25 Retailers List. Produced by Kantar, the list highlights the fastest-growing retailers in the U.S., with rankings determined by each company’s year-over-year increase in domestic sales from 2022 to 2023, according to a news release.

Schwarz Group, the Germany-based multinational retailer that owns Lidl, ranked second overall with a sales increase of 32.8%. It ranked No. 1 for growth among the grocers on the list. Its sales were $3.6 billion in 2023.

“This year’s Hot 25 List is brimming with a wide array of retailers that has seen significant growth,” David Marcotte, senior vice president at Kantar, said in the release. “We’re seeing many newcomers to the list, alongside returning retailers that have successfully tapped into consumer needs and desires.”

Aldi made the top 5, with a sales increase of 17% from 2022 to 2023. Aldi added $6.9 billion in sales for a total of $47.7 billion in sales in 2023.

H-E-B jumped from No. 25 to No. 13 with 12.7% sales growth last year. The Texas-based grocer added $4.4 billion in sales in 2023 for a total of $38.6 billion.

“This year, we observe a resurgence of retailers that had subtly declined in previous years but have gained steady traction with new customer bases,” said Mark Mathews, executive director of research at NRF. “The sales numbers indicate a steady increase for these top 25 retailers, driven in part by their successful adaptation to customer needs, resulting in positive growth.”

Among the grocers, Chile’s Cencosud, which acquired a majority stake in Greensboro, N.C.-based The Fresh Market in 2022, was a newcomer to the list, coming in at No. 18, as was the Defense Commissary Agency, which made the list at No. 25.

With a sales increase of 11.7%, Superior Grocers made the list at No. 15. Marcotte attributes Superior Grocers’ growth to its emphasis on the rapidly growing Hispanic segment.

Grocery Outlet made the list at No. 19. The discount grocer added $391 million in sales in 2023 for a total of nearly $4 billion.

The NRF says the Hot 25 Retailers rankings are determined by increases in domestic sales between 2022 and 2023; all retail companies with global sales in excess of $2 billion and key format leaders were eligible.