JLL: Grocery-anchored centers notch the highest occupancy rates
A growing divergence in consumer spending is splitting the United States grocery market, with value-focused and premium fresh-format grocers rapidly gaining momentum and foot traffic, according to JLL’s 2026 Grocery Tracker report.
Interestingly, core supermarket chains such as Kroger, Publix and Albertsons are not experiencing the increase in occupancy rates that is occurring on the outside edges of the supermarket business.
Value centers the likes of Aldi, Lidl and Grocery Outlet have scored the highest lift in new locations. Aldi was the fastest growing grocer in the U.S. in 2025 with the opening of 180 new stores and plans to have 800 more in place by 2028.
Grocery Outlet also saw significant unit growth by with the addition of 37 new locations over the past year.
At the same time, shoppers focused on high-quality offerings are driving traffic to fresh-format and specialty stores. This trend has benefited grocers like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, which are seeing same-store visits surge by 10.4% and 9.8%, respectively.
Sprouts Farmers Market, meanwhile, has expanded its footprint in the U.S. with 39 new stores.
“The data confirms a two-track market where traditional supermarkets are being squeezed,” said James Cook, Americas director of retail research at JLL.
“We’re seeing a pronounced flight to value, with our research showing shoppers making more frequent and shorter trips to manage budgets and private label sales surging by 30% since 2021,” noted Cook. “This is happening while fresh-format players are successfully capturing a dedicated consumer base.”
Investors are actively seeking out these resilient properties, driving a remarkable 42% surge in transaction volume to nearly $11 billion last year.
“We’re still in one of the strongest environments for leasing that I’ve seen in 25 years in the business,” Phillips Edison & Company president Bob Myers told Chain Store Age.
“We had retention rates of 90% last quarter with renewal spreads of 22%, so it speaks to the health and profitability of the retailers,” said Myers, whose company owns and operates more than 300 grocery-anchored centers nationwide. “Demand has been through the roof."
