Chicago Area Attracts A Wide Variety Of Food Retailers

The Chicago metropolitan area with its demographically diverse nine million people is seeing an upsurge in growth among all shapes and sizes of food retailers, including organic and other “green” grocery stores, specialty foods stores, independents, discounters like Walmart and big chain supermarkets like Safeway. Whole Foods Market Inc. has opened 10 stores in the Chicago area, while Supervalu unit Jewel-Osco opened a “green” store that boasts eco-friendly features such as a vegetation-covered roof. Walmart plans to open several dozen stores in Chicago. And Dominick’s, part of Safeway Inc., and Jewel-Osco had a total of 248 stores, representing nearly 47 percent of the Chicago market, according to food industry researcher Shelby Publishing Co.