New data from Chain Store Guide, a firm that tracks market share for different companies, shows Wal-Mart - independent of its Sam's Club division - edged Harris Teeter to become the Charlotte region's number one grocer last year.
According to the data, Wal-Mart's share of the Charlotte region's grocery market grew from 20.7 percent in 2010 to 21.5 percent in 2011. Matthews-based Harris Teeter's market share fell slightly, from 22 percent in 2010 to 21.1 percent in 2011.
Combined with Sam's Club (5.8 percent of the market in 2011), Wal-Mart sold 27.3 percent of groceries in the Charlotte region last year.
Food Lion's share dropped, after closing down Bloom and trying to re-work its brand. In 2010, Food Lion had 19.2 of the Charlotte region's grocery market (Bloom included), but in 2011, it fell to 17.7 percent of the market.
Here are the rest of the top 15 area grocery retailers, with their market share for both years:
2011
1. Wal-Mart: 21.5%
2. Harris Teeter: 21.1%
3. Food Lion: 17.7%
4. BI-LO: 7.7%
5. Sam's Club: 5.8%
6. Costco Wholesale: 4.2%
7. Lowes Foods: 3.0%
8. Aldi: 2.0%
9. BJ's Wholesale Club: 1.8%
10. Trader Joe's: 1.5%
11. Target: 1.3%
12. Dollar General: 1.3%
13. Family Dollar: 1.3%
14. Compare Foods: 1%
15. Ingles Markets: 0.7%
2010
1. Harris Teeter: 22%
2. Wal-Mart: 20.7%
3. Food Lion: 19.2%
4. BI-LO: 7.4%
5. Sam's Club: 5.5%
6. Costco Wholesale: 3.9%
7. Lowes Foods: 3.2%
8. Aldi: 2.1%
9. BJ's Wholesale Club: 2%
10. Trader Joe's: 1.6%
11. Target: 1.4%
12. Compare Foods: 1%
13. Ingles: 0.7%
14. The Fresh Market: 0.7%
15. EarthFare: 0.6%