Consumers Checkbook did a comparison (154 items) and Market Basket was the clear winner compared to other grocery store chains in terms of a price and quality metric.

Call me guilty of wanting to change Vermont if you wish. This just seems like a good change that Vermonters could agree on.

Seeing a Hannaford’s, Shaw’s or Price Chopper sign doesn’t do anything for me.

I’d welcome any and all options. An Aldi in NW Vermont would be great.

Yes! Would instantly be the best supermarket in the entire state.

Wegman’s >>> Than any other grocery chain

I literally could care less. It’s not like there is a shortage of grocery stores.

Not sure what happened, but there was a proposal going to the Williston select board for an Aldi near Hannaford.

They're planning on putting an Aldi's in Williston, near Hannaford I think?

You're 100% right, but they're not coming to VT any time soon. Probably ever.

I actually asked a Wegman's store manager about it once. He said their business model relies on being much closer to their supply chain than other supermarkets. They expand to whole regions at a time. It's not like Burlington just getting a single Target. All northern New England would have to become Wegman's territory, and it probably will never have the population density for that to be cost-effective for Wegman's, that manager thought.

Every Market Basket I’ve been to was always ridiculously busy with long lines to check out (even with every single register open). But they’re produce was always good.

Please give me Basket

And it's not even close. I've been in Vermont for over 5 years now and I still miss the subs. And everything else.

I lived for a couple years in a place with a Wegman’s. It was easily the worst grocery store I’ve ever shopped. It was expensive relative to the surrounding grocery stores and the produce section was absolutely awful. Somehow they were often under stocked and large swathes of what they had were either rotten or crawling with flies.

Mass has at least one near Boston...

I've been to some excellent Market Baskets, and some terrible ones. Hopefully we get one of the good ones if they do!

Idk why you’re being downvoted lmao. We need better infrastructure if we want stable prices, not another fucking chain. There’s plenty of grocery stores and honestly it’s cheaper to pick up your produce and meat from area farms. Y’all are Vermonting wrong if you need another big box grocer. Goddamn Flatlanders.

Aldi or Price Rite.

You mean Demoula's Mahket Basket?

You could care less? I think you mean that you couldn’t.

This is underrated here. People flood here from New Jersey because it’s different. But then a week later say ‘you know what this state needs?’ Well I’ll tell you what it doesn’t need. More flatlanders

Yea on Chesnut Hill

Not HEB

what's the point of Wegmans up here? It's overpriced and not as good as co-ops, so if I was looking to get groceries I would either go to Shaw's/Hannaford where the prices are more manageable or a co-op for more expensive local food. I don't know that there's a niche for Wegmans up here

now Aldi I can get behind

There is a Wegmans in Ithaca NY that is a 'must visit' every time I'm in that area. If I lived in that area. I'd be there every day.

rather have an Aldi tbh

There's an Aldi in Brattleboro. Not a fan myself.

I love Market Basket, if I'm in Claremont or Keene and need groceries anyway, I always stop. If they put one at the Randolph or Northfield/Williamstown exits it would be packed at all times.

Wegmans is as good as you can ever get from a chain shy of going to the co-op. Their quality is better by miles. I dare say they have higher or equal quality than Whole Foods and only have half the price. Like all chains what's expensive and what's cheap is relative, but at Wegmans you never feel ripped off for the price you pay.

No. I'm fine with the local grocery stores. The last thing Vermont needs is national chains sucking money out of the state.

The lack of awareness about how local businesses sustain local economies while chains remove money from local economies is astounding. All you have to do is go across the lake to see what something like Walmart does to small towns.

I feel like a lot of this is very store dependent which kind of defeats a single study. For instance, we live within driving distance of a Market Basket and don't shop there because their meat selection is really poor compared to an equal distance Price Chopper. It is better than the in-town Price Chopper but that isn't a high hurdle.

If we go to my hometown, Price Chopper has run just about every brand of grocery store out of town. Price Chopper has been there for years and there was a rotation through just about every other type of store as they would open then closed down within a few years. Near where my wife grew up, Hannafords and Price Chopper are on near equal footing. Town where my friends grew up, Shaws has reigned supreme for a couple decades with other stores closing.

So yeah.... this really feels like a Market Basket ad whereas the few Market Baskets I have not lived up that type of reputation. It really doesn't feel like the others have universal quality issues, but instead it is mostly centered around leadership and market positioning. The Price Chopper we primarily shop at? Got a really good location so it is the go-to for a good chunk of the area compared to the Hannafords and Shaws in the same town, the Market Basket is in a less trafficked town in the opposite direction. As long as management at the Price Chopper doesn't let quality slip... not likely Market Basket would make a dent in the established area.

For people really pining for a MB, there’s one right off I-89 in Warner, NH, and another someplace north, maybe Plymouth.

Aldi is part of the Trader Joe’s family and while some think of it the bland white bread supermarket there are often times some real nice items to be found at a good price. Allot of overlap with traders but in different packaging in many cases. There’s a couple lines of vino that get good marks.

More supermarkets the better in my opinion.

I really dig the good scene in VT but sometimes just sometimes the wallet wants a good price point.

Claremont has one, too.

VT is Golub territory: Market 32 will dominate.

Originally from MA and I miss MB every day. Shocks me how much I spend at the grocery store up here compared to MA.

Went to undergrad in Rochester, NY. I miss Wegman's so so much :(

There is also one near Keene, NH for people in southern Vermont.

Actually, the Aldi in the US and Trader Joe’s are owned by separate companies! There’s a long story, but in Europe, Aldi is actually two different companies, depending on the country: Aldi Nord and Aldi Sud. Aldi Nord owns owns Trader Joe’s in the US, Aldi Sud owns Aldi in the US.

Definitely allot of collaboration then. Either way, still an Aldi fan

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This is the answer. All this grousing about price increases and how much the cost of eggs has gone up this week. My prices have stayed relatively stable. Why? I buy local.

Pedant

Editing to add I looked again since it had been a while. The info I could find says construction isn't due to start until November 2023 at this point.

I've been watching that. They put in the design, but the permit wasn't granted without changes. I haven't seen any update since then.

I definitely appreciate having a local market in my town, when I'm in a bind for milk or something I need its great to not have to drive 20 miles round trip to get it from a larger supermarket. But that said, I couldn't afford to just shop there for my weekly groceries, nothing is ever on sale.

Wegmans sells a lot of overpriced gourmet things, but that's hardly the majority of items in the store. Their fresh food (sushi, subs, soups, pizza, etc.) is miles above any other grocery store, I worked near a Wegmans for 10 years after college and basically was there for lunch 2 to 3 times a week, would never get lunch at hannaford or shaws, although the Market 52 sushi is okay. But that said, they sell plenty of bargain priced items of good quality, in particular their store branded canned goods, frozen seafood, lunch meat/cheeses, and pantry items. Also their bulk section is way better priced for as good quality as City Market/Wealthy Living.

Market Basket is a regional chain. Pretty sure only MA and NH.

I heard that same argument a decade ago from a Trader Joes rep I had known. Apparently the supply chain issue wasn't unsolvable, since they opened their store in S. Burlington a few years after that.

And in Claremont.

Their pricing has gone nuts over the last year or so, more so than other chains. I used tobreally like them. Now not so much.

Their selection is good, the prices are good, the prepared foods are pretty good. We go to the one in Warner NH sometimes when we're in the neighborhood. Much better than Shaw's or Price Chopper, which both totally suck.

MB is not a national chain though. It's headquarters are in Mass and they only operate in the New England area.

YES

We moved from Worcester, MA (5 minutes from MB, 20 minutes to Wegmans) to Randolph and our grocery bill has doubled. More expensive for lesser quality food from the Shaws in Randolph. Almost 2 years in and it still kind of shocks me.

Fully supportive of a MB in Randolph.

I'd love it!

Yeah, that seems reasonable. I'd love to be wrong, that was still the best major grocery chain I've ever shopped at.

Yes

There's also one in Medford (just north of the city), one near Worcester, and another one in the northern suburbs (Burlington I think).

Why? We have local markets that are better.

I’d take a Wegmans over Market Basket. Funny how I still remember the one Wegmans I stepped in over 20 years ago!

I assume much of this pining for Market Basket and Wegmans comes from transplants to this area.

I lived across the street from a Market Basket when I lived in MA, that place was always filthy. I'm not sure if that was an outlier or not but I've never cared for them.

Market Baskets are always very depressing inside, like Shaw’s or the DMV

Damn, crazy. I couldn’t care less.

Paying far less for the same groceries is pretty much the opposite of depressing to me

Gross. No. MB can stay in MA. Their produce is always so busted. Give me a Hannafords in Central VT or a Wegmans. Anything but MB.

My mom who lives in Mass usually shops there because the prices are the best and according to her it is always busy there no matter the time or the day.

I’ve been to the one in Bratt, but they don’t accept WIC and the selection is limited. But for what they do have the price is right and I’ve been happy with the quality.

Do they have a great bulk food section? Are they better at reducing plastic waste than any other grocery chain? If not then no.

100% this.

Thanks, I'm in Brattleboro and didn't realize that!

I talked to a store manager at the Burlington MA Wegmans when it opened and he flat out told me in New England they're only going for sufficiently large affluent communities. So Bedford NH is about as close as you might see one to Vermont.

So to take the counter argument, though not all MB’s are universally great, I’d go to the worst MB I know of over the best Price Chopper I’ve ever been in. No contest. Better quality, selection, staff, ambiance.

Right which is a bit proving my point that it’s based on the store. I don’t know the Price Choppers you’ve been in but the ones we’ve hit have ranged from “okay if you just need a jug of milk” to “where we get 90% of our food”. I’ve probably only been in a handful of Market Baskets but all of them have been subpar compared to the handful of Price Choppers I’ve consistently used over the years (but better than dozens of others I’ve been in for “grabbing milk”).

I’ve got 1 Market Basket in driving distance and I’d rate it a 6/10. I’ve got 4 Price Choppers and it’d be an 8, a 6, and a couple 5s. That being said, the “8” where we get the best experience is even just for 90% of the groceries only because they have a wider variety of stuff we are used to buying but we will do occasional meat/produce runs to the coop because it’s better still in those regards.

You misspelled Publix. I unfortunately lived in Florida for a bit and those grocery stores are the only part I miss.

I am just over the mountain in Wilmington.

Aldi is ok. Now if we got a Lidl with their bakery, I’d be in heaven.

Fuck no. We had those in NH and they are worse than half the walmart groceries i've been in. the price isn't anything to write home about either.

​

Aldi or more local markets (more consistency all year for that, too).

I’d watch that. 📺

I don't know what Market Basket is like but it couldn't be any worse than those rat den Shaws.

I am a truck driver and deliver to 40 different grocery stores total throughout the week in Vermont and New York. I walk into a Hannaford and I'm greeted with open arms, the loveliest people and an extremely clean receiving area (and sales floor).

Obviously I can't judge every Shaws I've been too because they also have some nice people, but last week I walked in on an employee shooting up in one Shaws and a Gian rat running across the floor in another.

Anything is better than that.

Omg hoping so hard!

I'd love to see a Wegmans. They get their produce and meats locally to each location, and they hire A LOT and pay well with great benefits.

This is such a bad take. Market Basket is miles ahead of Hannaford and has much better produce and a wider selection at lower prices. I drive right past the Brattleboro Hannaford on my way to Market Basket in Keene once a week.

The market basket in Claremont is the bees knees

The local markets with high prices, small selection, and crappy hours are amazing

I've been in a Market Basket in Mass. It's nothing special either. I don't see what your point is?

Hogback that is.

The reason they are always busy has to do with good pricing.

Few in Maine as well

Hands down, pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the best Italian sub you are gonna get for your money. Fugettaboutit...

If I'm taking a trip to NH/ME/MA, I'm stopping for 2, One for now and one for later. So good...

We don't need another market up here though.

I’d still take a Weggies over a Publix. Any day and twice on Sunday.

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Aldi has the best dumpster diving options. I'd definitely welcome one anywhere in northern VT.

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I'd be happy with anything more affordable. It's 8 bucks for a conventional head of Cauliflower at the Brattleboro co-op. The prices are insanity.

Market Basket isn't a significantly better grocery store than the other regional store chains. But it is a family-own business that treats their employees and customers well, and it has a pretty good inventory overall.

But the big thing for me was back in 2015 when greedy members of the Demoulas family tried to take over and screw employees with reduced pay/benefits in the process, employees went on strike with the full support of loyal customers. We boycotted the place and some even joined the picket lines. Some truckers and suppliers loyal to the CEO also contributed, gumming up the supply chain to stores. It was a remarkable thing to experience. And justice was restored.

I just love how Market Basket slices up fruit, then puts it onto a Styrofoam board and wraps that in plastic.

​

Aside from their gross Styrofoam, I like how they give locals jobs and how the employees have a raging boner for Artie. He must be doing something right because they went to bat for him big time.

There's also the unofficial non-compete clause they have with Price Chopper. You'll never see a PC near Wegs locations and vice versa.

Be careful what you wish for...cheaper isn't always better.

Where the hell is our Wegmans???

I just went there on Friday in NH and got a whole basket full of stuff (not fridge or freezer stuff, too far of a drive for that stuff) for $289

There is one in Claremont NH, one in Swanzy (sp?) NH, and a few others

Swanzy however it’s spelled, on the other side of Winchester

I heard it was gonna be by resource or in that general area

My grandparents just always called it Demoula's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_Basket_protests

Market Basket protests

>On June 23, 2014, the Board of Directors of DeMoulas Super Markets, Inc. (led by Arthur S. Demoulas), the company that runs the Market Basket chain of supermarkets, fired President and CEO Arthur T. Demoulas. Demoulas's dismissal resulted in protests from the company's employees and customers. The protests ended on August 27, 2014, when the company's shareholders, including Arthur S. Demoulas, agreed to sell their shares to Arthur T. Demoulas.

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Thankful to live right on the NH border so I can do my grocery shopping at the Claremont store. 👍

This is the new VT. My hope is that it stays in chittenden county and the extreme NIMBY in most of the rest of the state will prevent this.

I’ve seen local lumberyards keep out Home Depot, local hotels keep out chains, locals who wanted to look down their nose keep out chain restaurants and local “concerned citizens” keep out housing developments.

I hope it all continues that way. If you want the shit you left behind, go back to where you came from.

No

Speaking for every independent grocer, nah.

It really is. I love it.

My point is that Market Basket has lower prices, a bigger selection, and more convenient hours.

We have that. It’s called Hannaford.

Hannaford is no more local than market basket. Just more expensive.

I’ve lived in a few other states before returning too NE and the Aldis and the Market Baskets were the kind of stores where you walk in, take a look and a sniff, and leave. The quality just isn’t there (did try a few trips) MB’s Market 32 is better quality, but less selection.

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I gather that people in Boston love it, but when I lived down there years ago, the combo of Stop & Shop and (when I wanted to be slightly more fancy with a local twist) Roche Bros worked fine for me.

And, you can get to the MB without going into strip mall Keene! MB, Cheshire Horse, Fire Dog breads, and Toadstool bookstore are my reasons for making the nasty drive to Keene. Plus the MB has plastic bags that we can use for giant dogs' poop.

^BEAHSKIT

The Market Basket in Claremont NH is only 6 miles from the border. Not too far out of the way if you're in Windsor or Springfield.

Market 32 is owned by Price Chopper, my friend.

Yes, you are correct! Sorry and thanks for correcting it!

They don’t give two shits about their employees and show highly illegal anti-union videos to all their new hires. Source: i worked there sadly

This resonates way more for me than everyone bitching about how expensive the out-of-season produce they insist on eating is.

I'm with ya - and the fact that this comment got downvoted just shows that people dont understand how huge a problem plastic waste really is, and how much more retailers can and should be doing about it.

Wow I had no idea. They always make the "best places to work" lists and the people I knew that worked there in Rochester seemed to love it. I guess because their benefits are robust they think they can treat their workers poorly?