22 • September | October 2026 • abasto.com Specialty Grocers Win Across Income Groups The specialty grocer subsector, which includes Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Wegmans, is not just win- ning affluent households. Consumer Edge data shows growth coming from low-, middle- and high-income sho- ppers alike. That broad-based appeal marks a notable shift. Specialty retail was once considered a premium niche. Today, it attracts a wide swath of con- sumers who prioritize quality, expe- rience or unique product assortment regardless of budget. Traditional Supermarkets Caught in the Middle Meanwhile, conventional super- markets are losing ground across the income spectrum. Chains like Publix and Safeway face pullbacks from every shopper segment, with the steepest declines among lower-inco- me consumers. Michael Gunther, SVP of Research & Market Intelligence at Consumer Edge, put it plainly. “Traditional su- permarkets are caught in the middle, and the data suggests that pressure isn’t going away,” he said. Gunther added that the grocery retailers best positioned for 2026 are those with a distinct identity and a lo- yal, returning customer base. Discount Grocers Hit a Plateau Discount grocers rode a powerful wave from early 2022 through mid- 2024. Retailers such as ALDI, Lidl, Food 4 Less and Grocery Outlet cap- tured meaningful grocery market share as inflation-weary consumers traded down. Yet that momentum has stalled. Consumer Edge data shows discount grocer share has leveled off since mid-2025. Whether this segment reignites will depend largely on food inflation trends and how aggressively spe- cialty grocers continue to attract deal-conscious shoppers. What This Means for the Industry The Consumer Edge report sends a clear message to food retailers: a middle-of-the-road strategy no longer cuts it. Sho- ppers today demand a reason to be loyal. Grocers that lack a sharp, re- cognizable identity face an uphill battle. Those that own a clear lane, deep value, specialty as- sortment, or exceptional private label, are taking the lead. The grocery market share ba- ttle of 2026 is far from over. But the data makes one thing clear: the center of the store, and the center of the market, is rapidly hollowing out 22 • September | October 2026 • abasto.com • Continuation of page 20 Americas Food and Beverage Special Insert