Central Ohioans really love Kroger

Kroger remains the top grocery store for Columbus-area residents, per the latest data from the sales-tracking firm Chain Store Guide.

Why it matters: The area's 10 leading grocery chains are competing for loyal shoppers who are increasingly likely to spend their money on dining out instead.

• People spent 21% more on dining out than they did on groceries last year, Axios' Nathan Bomey reports.

State of play: Cincinnati-based Kroger, with dozens of stores throughout the region, dominated with 38.9% of our local market share in 2022.

• That's almost double No. 2 Walmart, which grew slightly from an 18.8% market share in 2021 to 20.7% last year.
• Meijer, Giant Eagle and Costco once again round out the top five.

Zoom out: Walmart is the nation's No. 1 chain, with 25.2% of the national market share, and is the top grocer in Cleveland.

Yes, but: In many cities, local and regional favorites can give the big box stores a run for their money, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Erin Davis report.

• Regional chain Kroger is also the leading grocer in fellow Axios Local cities Atlanta, Detroit and Nashville.

The intrigue: Kroger isn't just for grocery shopping anymore. Three area stores — in Clintonville, Dublin and Gahanna — now offer food halls with to-go dining. That's in addition to the clothing, furniture and home decor that Kroger Marketplace stores have started offering in recent years.

What we're watching: Three local Whole Foods Market stores combine for a small slice of our area's market share, but that may be changing.

• Amazon, which acquired Whole Foods in 2017, wants to dramatically expand the grocery wing of its commerce empire, Richard Collings and Kimberly Chin write for Axios Pro Retail Deals (🔒).

📬 Flashback: We learned that Kroger was also our readers' preference in a 2021 survey.

• But if you're a newer reader, we want to know: Is Kroger your favorite too? Why? Or do you shop somewhere else? Email [email protected].