The Produce Selection At 23 Popular Grocery Store Chains, Ranked

There's a lot that can be told about a grocery store, when judging the quality of its produce. Supermarkets put extensive effort into making that particular department look appealing — from attractive lighting to colorful displays to the appearance of a wide, fresh variety of options. It's often the first section seen when walk into a store. If the produce is vibrant and appetizing, other items in the store — from meat to fish to dairy — will likely be fresh as well.

Looking at decomposing, overripe or overpriced produce has the opposite effect. In addition to skipping the produce aisle altogether, it might make shoppers less willing or eager to spend on other items as they make their way up and down the grocery aisles. 

With such factors in mind, we've looked at 23 popular supermarket chains nationwide. Below is an assessment of which has the freshest, best-presented produce, and which should be avoided altogether.

Known for its low prices, Walmart has over 10,500 national and international locations, giving it immense buying power. The big box store often opts for the supplier offering the lowest price, passing the savings along to shoppers. 

Nevertheless, such leverage may not always yield the highest quality, according to Consumer Reports and Checkbook.org. It also lacks variety, offering a small organic section and a standard mix of fruits and vegetables. Walmart has cut staffing across all departments in recent years, resulting in fewer workers checking produce quality or removing items that may have gone bad.

Wisconsin-based Woodman's receives high ratings from shoppers for its low prices and overall product quality. The store has incredible brand loyalty, with 81% of shoppers saying they would recommend the store to others (according to Produce Blue Book). 

However, the employee-owned grocer's produce quality could be more favorable. Most options are available in single units, allowing shoppers to select their apple or squash, versus having it pre-packaged. However, in a recent Consumer Checkbook poll, only 56% of shoppers ranked their produce quality high.

WinCo proudly displays cost savings on signs throughout the store, comparing its costs to the competition. With 139 employee-owned locations in 10 states, it is one of America's most affordable grocery stores, offering large bulk bins, meat sections, and an expansive produce area. 

Much of its produce is purchased from farms, keeping its prices low. But the variety of fruits and vegetables is typically a standard mix. We've found the shelf-life of various products to sometimes be sub-par, with items spoiling shortly after purchase.

Operating almost 2,800 stores in 35 states, Kroger's dates back to Cincinnati in 1883. From its beginnings, the company has prioritized the freshness of its products, believing that quality products at low costs attract customers. 

With so many locations, it can be challenging to have consistency. We found some produce sections welcoming, with colorful displays of gorgeous fresh fruits and veggies ready to go into a vegetable stir fry or fruit salad. However, we found other locations with unappetizing displays of soft, decaying, or spoiled options.

A long-time innovator in the grocery business, Safeway was the first American store to introduce produce purchasing by the pound, and they also led the way in customers selecting products off the shelf personally. In February 2023, however, The Washington Post reported that Safeway's prices were some 32% higher than Walmart and 17% higher than Target in a local Virginia town. 

Aside from costs, the quality of Safeway's produce is consistently fresh, and the team members are helpful. Stores offer organic and local products, whether it is a Buddha's hand in Hawaii, organic greens in Arizona, or Romanesco cauliflower in California.

North Carolina's Harris Teeter brings the produce of local farmers to its 250 stores across seven Southeastern states, supporting their local farms, which helps their communities. The supermarket offers fresh produce that meets the store's Green Thumb Expert's quality inspection; if an item fails to pass the company standards, it is returned to the farm.

Farmers often deliver their products within days of harvest. This quick delivery ensures fruits and vegetables are at their peak upon arrival. Produce is hand-picked for its location, so fresh strawberries from Blades Orchards will supply Maryland stores, whereas Delaware will receive berries from Fifer Farms.

Texas-based H.E.B. is known for its wide selection, including smoked in-store Texas barbecue, freshly made daily tortillas, a plethora of in-store-made salads, sandwiches, snacks, and locally-grown Texas produce. The company partners with farms that work sustainably, with the grocer committing to source its produce locally before looking outside the state. 

Its Texas-grown products are labeled with the name Texas Roots, showcasing Bexar County okra, Texas Hill Country peaches, and Texas-grown pecans. Other unique options include California plumcots and sweet Gum Drop grapes. Quality is guaranteed, as the store will fully refund any H.E.B. branded product if you don't like it.

Finding inspiration in neighborhood farmer's markets throughout European villages, Ray and Beverly Berry opened the first Fresh Market store in 1982. These days, 159 stores in 22 states continue to replicate the vibe. 

Fresh Market's produce department is inspiring, filled with unique varieties of fruits and vegetables like purple Brussels sprouts, lemonade blueberries, lilikoi, jackfruit, and 14 types of melons, many from farms within the region. Items are hand-curated and inspected to ensure the quality meets the company's high standards.

Everyone should have access to high-quality, organic produce, believes Natural Grocers. The health-conscious supermarket began in 1955, bringing exactly that to their community, hoping to improve the health and well-being of customers. 

100% of their' fruits and vegetables are organic, ensuring there is no concern about cross-contamination. The store also refuses to coat produce with products that will extend its shelf-life. The family-owned business is committed to bringing its customers the quality and healthfulness that organic offers at affordable prices, on par with non-organic prices in other stores.

Taking its produce very seriously, this Midwest market works diligently to ensure customers receive the freshest, most flavorful fruits and vegetables. They follow strict quality guidelines — like testing the sugar level in grapes, selling only USDA Extra Fancy grade citrus, and refrigerating apples to ensure they don't have a mealy, mushy taste. 

The store's produce inspector checks every delivery to guarantee produce is ripe, flavorful, and ready to enjoy. The store carries 400 different produce options, including ten varieties of citrus and 150 USDA-certified organic products.

East Coast-based Wegmans believes the most important reason to buy produce locally is a neverending quest for the freshest fruits and vegetables possible; many options hit store shelves the same day of harvest. Working with over 400 family farms, Wegmans ensures its produce doesn't have to travel far, making less of a carbon footprint while keeping dollars and cents within its communities. 

Additionally, the grocer runs an organic farm and orchard in the Finger Lakes. The farm runs tests and trials of products, sharing findings with its grower partners to help produce sustainably-grown fresh, organic products for its stores.