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Standing Out in the Grocery Aisle
Grocery shoppers have spent much of 2026 hunting for value. Comparing prices, choosing private labels, and other savings-oriented habits have become increasingly common as customers look to stretch their dollars.
Still, grocery stores are holding their own, with visits hovering just above last year's levels – and H-E-B is pulling well ahead of the pack. We dove into the data to see how its visits stack up against last year – and what location analytics can tell us about the secret to its success.
More Stores, Busier Aisles
Between January and August 2026, H-E-B visits rose 6.0% year over year (YoY), compared with 0.9% for the wider grocery category.
Part of that growth comes from new stores. H-E-B has been expanding across Dallas-Fort Worth since 2022, including a Forney store that opened in February, and has announced another San Antonio location for late 2026. But existing locations are getting busier, too: Average visits per location rose 2.6% YoY between January and August, compared with an essentially flat 0.1% for the wider category.
Staying Longer, Coming Back More Often
Location analytics suggest that H-E-B’s visit growth is driven in part by strong shopper engagement, with customers staying longer and returning significantly more often than the category average.
The chain's locally tailored assortments and strong community ties appear to sustain unusually strong customer loyalty. And beyond the shopping itself, amenities such as the True Texas BBQ restaurants at a growing number of locations may give customers another reason to linger.
Still a Unicorn
H-E-B continues to earn its place among grocery “unicorns” – chains whose focused approach helps them deliver both quality and value. Budget-conscious shoppers are still making grocery trips, and the Texas grocer is giving them reasons to choose its stores, stay longer, and return more often.
Can H-E-B sustain that momentum as it enters new communities and expands its footprint?
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