H-E-B remains the king of grocers in Central Texas

H-E-B was once again the region's top grocer in 2021, bagging nearly half the market share.

By the numbers: The store pulled in $3.78 billion in sales across 51 locations in the greater Austin area, per new data from Chain Store Guide, a sales-tracking firm.

• Grocery stores across the metro logged more than $7.69 billion in total sales.

Between the lines: Grocery sales spiked at the height of the pandemic, as people were forced to largely eat at home.

Of note: The analysis included a review of all five counties — Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell — in the Austin metropolitan statistical area.

Flashback: Last fall you overwhelmingly told us that HEB was your grocery store of choice.

The San Antonio-based chain has a knack for marketing its concoctions with a Texas angle.

• Witness its Texas Starry Night ice cream — chocolate ice cream mixed with cookie dough.