The difference between a thriving grocery store and a struggling one often comes down to one thing: stocking the products your customers want.
Is customer service important? Sure. Do you need the right team? Absolutely. But the best employees and customer service in the country won’t help if you run out of milk, bread, and eggs every Tuesday.
These staples are in every grocery store — but what else should you stock? We’re here to eliminate the guesswork.
Whether you’re opening your first grocery store or looking to breathe new life into your existing one, we’ll help you develop a plan for smarter stocking and higher profits.
In this guide, we’ll dig into:
What Should You Stock in Your Grocery Store?
Before we highlight the most common grocery items flying off shelves nationwide, there’s something crucial you can’t overlook: your specific customers. Your customers’ needs and preferences are unique, and your offerings should be, too.
How can you find out what your customers want? Here are some tips.
Start with local demographics
Your store reflects your community. Are you in a college town with health-conscious students? A family-friendly suburb? Or maybe an urban area with busy professionals? Each demographic calls for a different mix of products. Consider:
- Age groups: Are you catering to young families, retirees, or a mix?
- Income levels: This affects the balance of budget-friendly vs. premium products.
- Cultural diversity: Different ethnic groups impact demand for specific international foods.
- Lifestyle factors: Are your customers fitness enthusiasts, busy professionals, or home cooks?
When you can “see” the people you want to serve, stocking your store is less of a guessing game.
Gather customer feedback with surveys
You can’t beat hearing directly from current or potential customers. Get creative! Here are some ideas:
- Go door to door in your community to find out how people shop for groceries or send out a mailer.
- Survey people as they come out of stores in your neighborhood.
- Join local online groups and create polls to see what people feel is missing in other grocery stores.
- Read reviews of other grocery stores in your area, focusing on ones that discuss product selection.
If you own a grocery store and want to improve your product mix, use in-store and email surveys or even an old-school suggestion box. The key is asking the right questions. Encourage customers to share their shopping habits, meal planning, dietary preferences, and even their biggest frustrations.
Balance national trends with local preferences
You’ve got national trends and local insights. How can you blend them to make all your customers happy?
- Start with the national bestsellers. These familiar products are your safe bets.
- Layer in local favorites. Whether your neighbors are crazy about a local brand of chips or on the hunt for halal options, give them what they want.
- Watch for overlap. You've struck gold when national trends align with local preferences.
- Be flexible. Sometimes, national trends won't fly in your area. That's fine! Always prioritize what works for your specific customers.
Here's a real-world example: Plant-based milk is trending nationally. In your surveys, you notice a lot of interest in eco-friendly products.
This could be an excellent opportunity to stock up on oat milk and other plant-based alternatives. But if your local feedback shows a preference for traditional dairy, consider starting with a smaller plant-based section and gradually expanding based on sales.
Note: Lean on your point of sale (POS) system for sales data and spotting trends. A dedicated grocery store POS system should provide real-time data on what’s selling and what isn’t.
What Do Grocery Stores Sell?
From a high level, staples will remain staples. Here are the national bestsellers.
The heavy hitters:
Milk (still king of the dairy aisle!)
Bread (the staff of life is going strong)
Eggs (versatile and protein-packed)
Fresh produce (hello, health consciousness)
Snack foods (because sometimes you just need a chip fix)
Trending Products
While staples products will continue to fly off the shelves, there are some other trends to be aware of.
Organic foods, sustainability, and convenience are just a few of the trends changing the way consumers shop.
Plant-based revolution
(Image source: #foodbyjonister)
Ten years ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find oat milk or plant-based burgers in many stores. Now? They're everywhere. This isn’t a ‘new’ trend — it’s more of a mainstay now.
Health consciousness
(Image source: The Daily Dish)
There's been a steady shift towards healthier options across all categories. Whole grains, low-sugar alternatives, and products with added vitamins are gaining popularity.
Prepared meals
People are increasingly opting to pick up a meal from their neighborhood market instead of a restaurant or fast food. With the average fast food meal sitting around $15 per person, who can blame them?
International flavors
As America's palate becomes more diverse, so do our grocery stores. International food aisles are expanding, and once "exotic" ingredients are now everyday items.
Functional foods
(Image source: Enhanced)
Products with added health benefits (think probiotics and added protein) have gained significant traction.
Sustainability matters
(Image source: foodbevy)
There's a growing demand for products with eco-friendly packaging and sustainably sourced ingredients.
Private labels
(Image source: MB Design)
Store brands have shed their "generic" image. Many now compete directly with national brands on quality and price.
1. Plant-based revolution
Plant-based revolution
(Image source: #foodbyjonister)
Ten years ago, you'd be hard-pressed to find oat milk or plant-based burgers in many stores. Now? They're everywhere. This isn’t a ‘new’ trend — it’s more of a mainstay now.
2. Health consciousness
Health consciousness
(Image source: The Daily Dish)
There's been a steady shift towards healthier options across all categories. Whole grains, low-sugar alternatives, and products with added vitamins are gaining popularity.
3. Prepared meals
Prepared meals
People are increasingly opting to pick up a meal from their neighborhood market instead of a restaurant or fast food. With the average fast food meal sitting around $15 per person, who can blame them?
4. International flavors
International flavors
As America's palate becomes more diverse, so do our grocery stores. International food aisles are expanding, and once "exotic" ingredients are now everyday items.
5. Functional foods
Functional foods
(Image source: Enhanced)
Products with added health benefits (think probiotics and added protein) have gained significant traction.
6. Sustainability matters
Sustainability matters
(Image source: foodbevy)
There's a growing demand for products with eco-friendly packaging and sustainably sourced ingredients.
7. Private labels
Private labels
(Image source: MB Design)
Store brands have shed their "generic" image. Many now compete directly with national brands on quality and price.
Should You Offer Hot Food in Your Grocery Store?
Off the bat: Yes. A resounding yes. Many stores are finding great success by beefing up their hot bars and food counters.
You’ve got various options:
Self-serve hot bars
Made-to-order stations (sandwiches, pizzas, etc.)
In-store cafes or dining areas
Rotisserie stations (chicken, ribs, etc.)
International food counters (sushi, Chinese, Mexican, etc.)
Soup stations
Tip #1: Place Your Most Profitable Products at Eye Level
Why it works: Have you heard the phrase “eye level is buy level?” Psychology backs it up. We’re always looking for the easiest and most convenient route — which is why we focus on what’s right in front of us. Having to crouch down or stretch to the top shelves is hard work!
Placing your most popular — and profitable — products at eye level encourages customers to buy.
Tip #2: Design Your Store Layout To Create a Logical Flow
Why it works: Guiding customers through your store helps create a better experience for them. Think about how customers tackle their grocery lists. What should be on the outer perimeter? Can you display all your breakfast items in one place? However you do it, your layout should expose customers to as many products as possible.
Pro tip: Place essentials like milk and bread in the back of your store. It might seem counterintuitive (because you’re making it harder for customers to get what they need), but as they walk through your store, you increase the chance they'll spot something else they "need" along the way.
Tip #3: Make the Most of Endcaps
Why it works: Endcaps are prime real estate in grocery stores. From cross-selling and encouraging impulse buys to promotions and highlighting new products, endcaps are like an extra salesperson.
Example of an endcap from Trader Joe’s. (Image source: Launch Point Retail)
Tip #4: Organize Products by Color
Why it works: Colors draw people in. They have visual appeal, and organizing your produce by color looks attractive and encourages people to buy more.
Pro tip: The produce section in particular is an area of the store where colors really pop. Just make sure to not sacrifice product longevity for the sake of good looks. Some fruits and vegetables, when stored near each other, can actually speed up spoilage.
Tip #5: Group Products Together
Why it works: Endcaps aren’t the only place to group products. Placing complementary items near each other encourages impulse buys and reminds customers of things they need. Think chips near dips, salad dressings near lettuce, and baking supplies near flour and sugar.
(Image source: Supermarket Perimeter)
Tip #6: Make the Most of Your Checkout Area
Why it works: The checkout counter is customers’ last stop on their journey through your store, so make the most of it! Stock this area with small, impulse-buy items. Gum, candy bars, small toys for kids — things that are easy to add to a cart at the last minute. They all add up.
Bonus tip: Use your POS data.
Your grocery POS system is a goldmine of data. You can:
- Track which products are often bought together and place them near each other.
- Identify your bestselling items and give them prominent positions.
- Monitor the performance of different store areas and adjust your layout.
Organizing your store is an ongoing process. You can experiment with different layouts and product placements — but you don’t have to guess. Use your POS system to track the results of these changes and refine your approach.
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How To Create and Offer Your Own Brands
You can offer the same staple, everyday items at a lower price. By cutting out the middleman, you'll enjoy higher profits. You can also have more control over ingredients, offer unique products, and adjust pricing based on your data.
There are some disadvantages, though. Since customers are familiar with popular brand names, some might view store brands as lower quality. You need to find a balance and take a smart approach to promoting your in-store brand.
*(Image source: CSP)
Here are some tips:
Focus on quality
Ensure your store brand matches or exceeds name brand standards.
Invest in packaging
Create attractive, professional packaging that stands out next to the popular name brands.
Help your products stand out
Add unique items and barcodes to your inventory.
Try samples
Offer free samples to overcome quality perception barriers.
Educate customers
Inform shoppers about the value and quality of your store brands through signage and staff training.
How To Price Products Competitively
We mentioned earlier that you should always have a cheaper option for staple products, but there are other ways to price your products and create a win-win scenario. Click each card for more details.
Cost-plus pricing
Competitive pricing
Dynamic pricing
Psychological pricing
