Yes, it’s true: Everything is bigger in Texas. Houston supermarkets are 17 percent bigger in square footage than the national average. Houston is the No. 1 market in the country for in-store sampling and demos: Ninety percent of stores in the market have sampling/demo programs. More than one in four stores have service cosmetics departments; liquor departments far surpass the national norm, averaging an impressive 142 square feet in Houston. Beer sections also are big; wine departments are average.
Among supermarket chains, Kroger leads the market with a 25.5 percent market share. HEB has grown to a 12.6 percent share, and continues to win accolades for its merchandising and co-marketing expertise. Albertson’s has grown to 27 stores from two in 1993; at the same time, Food Lion has left Houston, selling off or shuttering its 12 stores.
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