August 15, 2022 Updated: August 15, 2022 1:10 p.m.
(Clockwise from right) Caraluzzi’s Markets, Market 32, BD Provisions and Stew Leonard’s are among Connecticut’s most notable regional supermarket chains.
Photo collection by Andrew DaRosa
With news from grocery chains like Wegmans i Amazon Fresh making its debut in Connecticut, there has been renewed interest in the state supermarkets. Around Connecticut, regional grocery chains reign with stores like Big Y World Class Market and ShopRite among the most recognizable.
In one informal survey by Hearst Connecticut Media conducted over the past week, readers chose their favorite regional grocery chains that are from Connecticut or have locations in Connecticut. In total, 16 channels were voted in the poll.
Of the 319 total votes, 40 percent of the total votes went to the Connecticut grocery chain. Stew Leonard’s. The acclaimed grocery chain opened in Norwalk in 1969 and has expanded to include three stores in Connecticut, three in New York and one in New Jersey. Each store is decked out with the company’s animatronic creatures like the Chiquita banana and anthropomorphic milk cartons, as well as the store’s company philosophy engraved on a giant rock, which reads: “1. The customer is always right . 2. If the customer ever gets it wrong, read rule #1 again.”
Stop & Shop was the second most popular vote in the poll, earning 15 percent of the total votes. The Massachusetts-based grocery chain was among the largest in the survey. There are 415 stores chain-wide, stretching across New England to New York and New Jersey. Stop & Shop is also the sister company of the New England grocery chain Hannaford.
Other grocery store chains that compromised the top five included ShopRite; Caraluzzi marketsthat will be soon opening a new location in Danbury; i Big Y World Class Market.
Andrew DaRosa works for Hearst Connecticut Media’s digital team, both producing online content and maintaining homepages.
Andrew is an award-winning journalist with a degree in digital journalism from Fairfield University.
When she’s not writing, she spends time with her dogs or going to see live music.