
A lot of people are excited that grocery chain Wegmans is entering the Pittsburgh market.
But, what makes the store so appealing and what does it mean for shoppers at places like Giant Eagle and others?
Phil Lempert, Food industry analyst and editor of Supermarketguru.com, tells KDKA Radio that Wegmans coming to Pittsburgh is good news for all shoppers.
“When Wegmans comes into a new market, and we’ve seen it recently in New York and other cities, basically every other retailer improves,” said Lempert. “They have to improve because Wegmans is probably the premier supermarket in the nation.”
Lempert says, while Wegmans offers a “lot more gourmet products, lot more fresh food, lot more dining in the store itself” compared to other grocers, its “secret weapon” is its employees.
“Wegmans is one of the few supermarket retailers that heavily invest in training and their employees stay with them for decades,” said Lempert.
He says the employees are helpful and make everyone that comes in feel welcome.
The new Wegmans in Cranberry, expected to open in a couple years, will have 400 to 500 employees.
“For the other competitors in that market, what they’re going to have to do to hold onto their good people is really up the benefits and up the relationship that they’ve got,” said Lempert. “Otherwise, these people who are actively working in supermarkets now are going to leave for Wegmans.”
KDKA Radio reached out to Giant Eagle for a statement. They sent us the following:
“We have a deep commitment to our communities and always strive to think like our customers by delivering the highest quality foods and best overall value. We have served Pittsburgh alongside numerous respected competitors for more than 90 years and plan to do so for many years to come.”