Kroger Is Americans’ Go-To For Sushi
The Kroger Co. has become the country’s biggest sushi retailer, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, which reviewed data from research firm Circana Group. According to the Journal, the nation’s biggest grocery store operator sells more than 40 million pieces of raw seafood in a typical year.
Once considered subpar to restaurant-quality sushi, supermarket sushi has now become a major draw for shoppers in the prepared food and foodservice departments. This is due in part to the level of convenience of retail sushi and grocers’ improved attention to sourcing fresh ingredients. Sales volumes of sushi sold at U.S. retailers are up more than 50% over the past four years, and dollar sales are up roughly 72%, according to Chicago-based Circana.
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Kroger’s data shows that its rolls bring new customers to its stores and encourage existing shoppers to visit more often, as reported by the Journal. The grocery operator said that it noticed in 2020, when it was reviewing data from Circana, that it was the nation’s biggest sushi retailer. It’s been grabbing an ever-larger share of the U.S. sushi market in the three years since. About two-thirds of Kroger’s stores have sushi sections.
Capitalizing on its popularity, the grocery retailer launched sushi delivery in December 2022 on the DoorDash marketplace. Items like rolls and combos, dumplings, poké bowls, bottled sauces, and more are prepared and packed by in-store sushi chefs from banner stores across the country. Kroger expanded its sushi delivery service months later with Uber Eats Marketplace. In May, shoppers were also able to order sushi from Kroger locations through the Uber Eats app and website.
Serving more than 11 million customers daily through digital shopping and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century.
