H‑E‑B secured the top spot in the first-ever “Experience Report,” released by brand strategy and retail-design firm ChangeUp last month.
The report, which ranks the top 50 retail and restaurant brands based on customer-experience metrics, evaluates performance across eight dimensions: unprompted visit desire, memorability, advocacy, novelty, return intent, substitutability, relevance and staleness. H-E-B excelled in seven of the eight categories, scoring on average 10-15 points higher than its peers in each of those areas (excluding staleness).
According to the ChangeUp analysis, H-E-B’s performance reflects “emotional connection dimensions and functional excellence that drive loyalty,” with the company described as “essential and connected to their customers’ lives.”
Customer commentary featured in the report reinforces the findings. One respondent said: “H-E-B isn’t just where Texans shop. It’s how Texans identify themselves. Moving away from Texas means leaving H-E-B, and people genuinely grieve that loss.” Another noted that H-E-B “arrived with aid before the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)” when a hurricane hit — pointing to the chain’s role in its communities.
In the same ranking, only one other grocery chain cracked the top 10: Costco, which placed fifth. Additional ranking examples include Sam’s Club (19th), Publix (24th) and Trader Joe’s (26th).
ChangeUp notes that the growing importance of experience—in-store ambiance, emotional resonance and physical brand moments—has become what the agency calls “the new competitive frontier.”
For H-E-B, the top ranking adds further validation to the retailer’s long-standing strategy of deep community engagement, local market tailoring and investment in the in-store experience. Industry commentary highlights that the chain has posted loyalty and visit-rate gains ahead of many national competitors.
The full Experience Report is available from ChangeUp’s website and offers detailed score breakdowns, the full top 50 list and insights into how brands across categories compare on experience-based metrics.
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