Lowes Foods, the Winston-Salem–based grocery chain with over 80 stores across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, has been named Supermarket News 2025 Retailer of the Year, a prestigious accolade from the industry’s leading trade publication. This honor recognizes the chain’s ongoing innovation in foodservice, omnichannel shopping, private-label wellness, and entertainment-driven experiences.
Launching its first store in 1954 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Lowes Foods has evolved from a single storefront into a dominant regional grocer. This year’s award highlights the company’s distinct approach, combining legacy with modern retail strategies. The chain has doubled down on community-centric initiatives like its signature concepts, Chicken Kitchen, SausageWorks, Pick & Prep, and the Community Table, where local chefs and artisans host in-store events and cooking demonstrations. Supermarket News executive editor Chloe Riley praised Lowes Foods for remaining “at the forefront of innovation in grocery,” citing its Southeast expansion and continued investment in food experiences, digital channels, and health-focused private brands.
Behind this progress is the parent company Alex Lee, which acquired Lowes Foods in 1984 and has since supported growth through strategic additions like fuel centers and format diversification. In addition to opening new stores in North and South Carolina, Lowes Foods has recently embarked on multiple remodels in the Triangle area, enhancing its distinctive in-store features such as Boxcar Coffee, Sammy’s sandwich kitchens, an expanded Cheese Shoppe, and beef-focused Smokehouse counters. These upgrades reflect a broader ambition: to merge grocery essentials with hospitality, creating stores that double as community hubs.
This award places Lowes Foods in elite company, past winners include Publix, Kroger, and Hy-Vee, validating the chain’s journey from a local favorite to a regional powerhouse. As the company celebrates this achievement in its September print issue, it does so at a time of modernization, expansion, and renewed focus on guest-driven experiences. Lowes Foods’ recognition as Supermarket News’s Retailer of the Year signals more than just prestige; it highlights a blueprint for how regional grocery chains can thrive. By blending community engagement, culinary entertainment, omnichannel convenience, and wellness-focused brands, Lowes Foods is redefining what it means to serve and delight a modern customer.
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