The largest grocery acquisition in 2013 reunited the Albertsons supermarket chain under one owner. Now, data from Chain Store Guide’s recently released 2014 Grocery Industry Market Share Report details a changing grocery landscape within the core-based statistical areas (CBSA) in the U.S. For this year’s report, over 100 CBSA markets changed, including some that were completely removed or refined as well as newly created markets. In the United States, there are now 918 total defined CBSAs. Of these, 381 are ‘metropolitan’ markets and 537 are smaller ‘micropolitan’ markets.
The new Albertsons entity – which now operates 1,075 locations – has a presence in 133 total markets, 91 of which are what the government defines as metro areas. This gives Albertsons a presence in 23.8% of all metro markets in the U.S. Nearly 600 of its locations are within ten major metropolitan markets with heavy competition.
Top 10 Albertsons Metro CBSAs*
Ranked by Area Stores
| Metro CBSA Name | Area Trade Names |
Area Stores |
Current Market Share |
| CHICAGO-NAPERVILLE-ELGIN, IL-IN-WI | Jewel – Osco |
171 |
20.90% |
| LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH-ANAHEIM, CA | Albertsons; Albertsons – Sav-on; Lucky’s |
78 |
5.50% |
| PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Acme Market |
78 |
13.30% |
| BOSTON-CAMBRIDGE-NEWTON, MA-NH | Shaw’s; Star Market |
67 |
12.10% |
| DALLAS-FORT WORTH-ARLINGTON, TX | Albertsons |
48 |
6.10% |
| SAN DIEGO-CARLSBAD, CA | Albertsons; Albertsons – Sav-on; Lucky’s |
40 |
11.20% |
| LAS VEGAS-HENDERSON-PARADISE, NV | Albertsons; Albertsons – Sav-on |
31 |
12.70% |
| SEATTLE-TACOMA-BELLEVUE, WA | Albertsons |
30 |
5.50% |
| PHOENIX-MESA-SCOTTSDALE, AZ | Albertsons |
28 |
4.60% |
| RIVERSIDE-SAN BERNARDINO-ONTARIO, CA | Albertsons; Albertsons – Sav-on |
27 |
5.30% |
*Source: Chain Store Guide’s 2014 Grocery Industry Market Share Report
In Albertsons #1 market of Chicago, it currently holds the top grocery market share with 20.9%. All Chicago-area stores were acquired from SUPERVALU and operate under the Jewel banners. The Chicago market will be one to monitor closely throughout the year; in addition to Albertsons entering the market and SUPERVALU exiting, Safeway also exited the market with the closure of its Dominick’s chain. Only a handful of locations have been purchased by competitors. Other thriving metros with diverse grocery markets inside Albertson’s top 10 include Dallas, Seattle, and Boston. With intense competitive pressure throughout all of its markets, the new Albertsons chain will have to find differentiators in addition to cost efficiencies in order to be successful in the near and long term.
