Food Lion better than Ukrop’s… um, what?
According to a report in the Times-Dispatch, Food Lion currently holds 19.34% of the market share in Richmond, Meanwhile, Ukrop’s only holds 17.58% (followed by Walmart at 12.14 and Kroger at 11.38). Ukrop’s has been the market leader since 1986. Do you think Bobby is shaking in his boots? Also: do you think his boots […]
According to a report in the Times-Dispatch, Food Lion currently holds 19.34% of the market share in Richmond, Meanwhile, Ukrop’s only holds 17.58% (followed by Walmart at 12.14 and Kroger at 11.38).
Ukrop’s has been the market leader since 1986.
Do you think Bobby is shaking in his boots? Also: do you think his boots are made of $100 bills?
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Valerie Catrow
Valerie Catrow is editor of RVAFamily, mother to a mop-topped first grader, and always really excited to go to bed.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
I hope Ukrop’s responds in a really awesome way (free rainbow cookies to people with the initials BK, maybe?) and regains the top spot.
Fun fact: According to their website, Food Lion LLC is a subsidiary of Brussels-based Delhaize Group. Show some love to your local grocery store.
Don’t they give free rainbow cookies out anyway? Last time I was there, they were practically throwing them at my baby.
Or maybe they hate my baby? Oh no…
No, they love your baby, and wanted him to have their cookies! I (being baby-less) am disadvantaged in that regard. When I get free cookies it is called “shop lifting”.
I do enjoy Ukrops for the quality, at the end of the day I do 95% of my food shopping at Food Lion. Why? Price. I can shave an easy 30% off of my weekly shopping budget.
I have to agree with Bradley. Somethings I get from Ukrops because they carry it and Food Lion doesn’t. But the Food Lion behind the Car Pool on Broad (across from Target at Broad and Libbie) has a nice selection of fruits, veggies, and organic meats. Plus, I’ve found that unless I’m buying something on a good sale at Ukrops, it’s just too expensive for me. So…sell out? Maybe, but in this economy you have to price hunt and stretch your pennies.
Oh…and no matter what time I go into my local Food Lion, it’s usually pretty quiet. I feel like every time I go to Ukrops I have to slog my way through tons of people. Not my ideal.
yea, i don’t think it’s bc food lion is “better,” it’s just cheaper. and open sundays. and sells beer. wait, why isn’t ukrop’s in last place?
Food Lion v Ukrops? Seriously? This is debate worthy shit? Man, must be a slow news week for the Times Disgrace. Their website must be dying for web traffic. Please tell me Richmond at least tries to have bigger concerns (jobs, schools, economy, etc) than where the f**k you buy food at?
Food Lion and Wal-mart are closer to us than Ukrops. and the wife likes convenience. So she tends to do the big shopping trips at those 2. However, since the baby came along — i’m noticing more and more trips to Ukrops. The convenience changed it’s all about who going to put these groceries in my car while I hold this baby.
@rtd Where people obtain food is one of the most important issues any person faces in a day, so I do think it is “debate worthy”. If you don’t believe me, there is plenty of literature out there that can explain how food choices impact yourself and the entire world. It may seem trivial, but there are important implications to where we shop.
Not to mention the fact that Ukrop’s is an important part of our local economy by providing jobs locally, offering a number of scholarship opportunities to Richmond area kids, and sponsoring events like the Monument Ave 10k that raises money for charities like Massey Cancer.
Disclaimer: I don’t work for Ukrop’s, but I do love their rainbow cookies.
Why go to Food Lion when you can go to Kroger?! Also, why are there no Farm Freshes in Richmond?
I stopped shopping at Ukrops because the chain is run / owned by a sanctimonious prick.
In the early ’90s Howard Stern was on the air locally at 106.5, and Ukrops was instrumental in getting his show pulled from the station. They threatened advertisers that if they ran radio ads on the station, not just during the Stern show, but at any time they would stop stocking their product. That ticked me off a bit even though I didn’t always care for Howard Stern, he can be a real ass at times. But I really, really hate when people start trying to cram their morality down my throat. You’re gonna go all “super-christian” on me? Well, I’m not going to shop at your store. I will miss the chicken salad though. Le Sigh.
And then the topper…..
Whilst navigating the on ramp from Midlo trnpk onto the powhite north in the ambulance I was piloting, with a patient in the back who was quite sensitive to movement, I had a large wood paneled Buick station wagon right on my ass. When starting to merge to the left this same wagon roared past me rather unexpectedly causing me to exclaim something to the effect of “who the hell does that guy think he is?” My partner poked his head up into the cab and having worked at Ukrops throughout HS immediately said “Oh, that’s Mr. Ukrop. I’d recognize that boat anywhere.” A@#H*&%!
That was in the mid 90’s and I haven’t shopped there since.
That and they don’t sell beer.
I have comparison shopped at Ukrop’s and Food Lion and routinely find that my whole basket is cheaper at Ukrop’s! Their high-price reputation is undeserved. Of course comparing individual items you’ll always find one store with a “hotter” price. I look for overall value.
And everyone gets a free rainbow cookie, not just kids!
5 Good Reasons to Shop Ukrop’s:
1. They are a local business that truly cares about the quality of their food and the well being of their community and they are one of the region’s largest employers. Keep it local, people.
2. Their prices are competitive, especially on the day to day basics. If you’re on a tight budget, the trick is not to pick up extras you don’t need (which is admittedly hard to do because the extras are quite tempting!) Seriously: Ukrop’s encourages shoppers to compare prices on basics. You’ll be surprised. You can save enough to splurge on a chocolate pie.
3. Their prices on natural and organics beat the heck out of Whole Foods and Ellwood Thompson’s, and their selection is excellent: if you don’t want antibiotics and steroids in your meat, check out their natural beef, pork and chicken. Good stuff at a good price.
3. Their prepared foods can be trusted to be fresh: straight from their local kitchen. If you don’t feel like cooking,or you’re single and don’t cook, it’s a great option. Note: it would be nice to have more variety/season menu changes and more healthy options…hello, Ukrop’s?
4. Their stores are clean and attractive and there’s no extra charge for the extra courtesy of taking your groceries to your car.
5. They aren’t open on Sunday and don’t sell beer or wine: which means they live their values. While I personally drink beer and wine and shop on Sundays, I respect Ukrop’s for staying true to their beliefs even if I don’t share them.
I shop at Ukrops, Target, and Food Lion (Forest Hill Ave). They all have their different strengths. If there was a Kroger a little closer I would go there too. Since the Food Lion was renovated it is great and the staff is much friendlier then years past.
There used to be a Giant (or was it a Safeway) on Janke Road that would piss me off everytime I went in there and that was when I first starting going to Ukrops on a regular basis. The very first time I went into a Ukrops some friends suggested that I go there to buy some beer. After walking around the store for quite a while I asked one of the clerks where the beer was. Imagine my surprise.
There is room enough for all of them.
Does anyone remember the A&P on Main Street, now that was a grocery store.
Carytown Kroger will always have my heart.
I totally agree with Jo and her sterling list of reasons why Ukrops is great. Not least of which is that Ukrops is LOCAL and one of the truly unique things about Richmond town — support it! Though I do also agree with her plaints about the “healthiness” of Ukrops food — seems like they inject fat where there was none (see Grilled Chicken in Lemon Sauce).
I am an inveterate grocery shopper who goes to them all — Kroger for yogurt and weekly deals, Food Lion for produce and meat deals, Ukrops for Saturday night deli discounts, Target for the cheapest Half&Half in town . . . Like Citizen Tom says, they each have their strengths and there’s room enough for all.
Now that rumors about Ukrops’ demise have surfaced, are you non-supporters really sure you want to see just another national chain come to our fair city??
Just because Ukrops has local ownership does not mean the food is local. Check their produce – it’s from Mexico.