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Placer.ai: Top brands to watch in 2025

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Sprouts Farmers Market

A diverse group of companies that includes quick-serve restaurants, grocery chains, department store retailers and more are on a list of brands to watch over the next 12 months.

Retail analytics firm Placer.ai has released its annual list of brands that it expects to succeed over the next 12 months. The report highlights 10 brands (in no particular order) that exhibit significant potential to grow in 2025 based on their performance in 2024. 

Here are the brands on the Placer.ai list.

Sprouts Farmers Market 

Through 2024, visits to the natural and organic grocer increased an average of 7.2% year-over-year each month, outpacing the wider grocery segment standard by an average of six percentage points. Placer.ai says that coupling of overall (+7.2%) and visits per location growth (+1.6%) is a recipe for success for Sprouts in 2025.

Cava

Mediterranean fast-casual chain Cava has seen rapid growth since it went public in 2023. Placer.ai notes that evolving consumer tastes have created a “fertile landscape” for Mediterranean cuisine to thrive, driven by factors such as social media influence, expanded food options via third-party delivery, and growing demand for healthier choices.

Placer.ai’s data shows that Cava is outpacing the overall fast-casual restaurant sector by a wide margin, averaging a 28.5% year-over-year rise in quarterly visits last year, compared to a 2.8% average increase in quarterly visits for the sector overall.

[READ MORE: Placer.ai: Seven retail trends to watch in 2025]

Ashley Furniture

Home furnishings have seen a dip in demand since the COVID-19 pandemic, but Ashley Furniture has stood out for its attractiveness to younger consumers with lower household incomes. The average home furnishings category customer has median household income of $87,000, while the average Ashley customer has an median household income of $76,000

Placer.ai says Ashley has leaned into collaborations with interior designers and industry experts to offer informative sessions and workshops at its stores. These initiatives not only attract traffic, but also provide valuable insights into customers’ preferences.

Nordstrom

Department stores have had many challenges in navigating changing consumer behavior in the past year, but Placer.ai says Nordstrom is an example of department store success in 2024. The chain has captured higher shares of high-value, younger consumer segments, which defies commonly held thoughts about department stores. The chain was a top visited chain during Black Friday in 2024.

Placer.ai noted that the chain’s plans to go private could lead to innovation in in-store experience, assortments and services.

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Sam's Club

Sam’s Club

The Walmart-owned club chain is leveraging the value and experience it provides to create loyal customers, according to Placer.ai. Sam’s Club is also attracting a newer audience that had previously been less apt to take advantage of the unique Sam’s Club benefits.

Visits to Sam’s Club stores increased notably in all but one month of 2024, outpacing the overall retail sector and superstores alike.

Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers

The fan-favorite chicken fingers chain’s rise is  driven by a streamlined menu that enhances speed and efficiency, innovative marketing campaigns, and strategic site selection in both new and existing markets. According to Placer.ai, each Cane’s restaurant averaged around $6 million in sales last year.

Cane’s has grown from 460 locations at the end of 2019 to more than 830 heading into 2025. Placer.ai said the quick-serve chain is well positioned to succeed in the new year.

Life Time

Life Time Fitness has captured a dedicated membership base who go to the chain for offerings like yoga, childcare, personalized fitness programs, and even an option for luxury living just steps away. In 2024, 80.4% of Life Time’s customers were located in suburban areas, and 46.6% of its members visited a club at least four times per week.

Placer.ai says the chain’s offerings make it stand out from other gym chains.

Barnes & Noble

With a presence in every single state and approximately 600 stores, Barnes & Noble is more than a place where people come to buy books, with visitors often coming in to work and grab a coffee. Customers are lingering at their local stores, with nearly three-in-10 visitors staying 45 minutes or longer.

With options for a “third place” that’s not home or work dwindling, Placer.ai says Barnes & Noble is poised to fill that void and have a strong 2025.

H Mart

Asian grocer H Mart operates over 80 stores throughout the United States, attracting shoppers traditional Korean, Chinese, and Japanese groceries, as well as prepared foods.

H Mart’s success is based on its appeal to a wide base of customers. Placer.ai data found that at the second-most visited H Mart in the nation in Carrollton, Texas, the ethnic makeup of customers is 39% White, 14% Black, 23% Hispanic or Latino, and 20% Asian.

Bluemercury

Finally, Macy’s subsidiary Bluemercury is expected to have a strong year in 2025. Placer.ai says Bluemercury’s success lies in its ability to be a retailer, an expert, and a spa service provider to its consumers. 

Data has shown that beauty chains with a service and retail component tend to attract more visitors than those who just specialize in retail offerings, and Bluemercury is no exception. The chain also focuses solely on the prestige market within the beauty industry and caters to higher income households.

“Sprouts’ focus on quality products and small-format stores, Cava’s rise as a suburban dining powerhouse, and Nordstrom’s commitment to customer experience all highlight how understanding and responding to consumer needs can drive success,” said Placer.ai. “Brands like Ashley Furniture, Sam’s Club, H Mart, and Life Time have shown how offering a unique value proposition within a crowded segment, leveraging loyalty, and creating memorable experiences can fuel growth. And Raising Cane’s demonstrates the power of simplicity and operational efficiency in building momentum.”

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