CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The grocery industry is big business in Charlotte, and there's a heated battle to get customers in the door.
The variety of stores has exploded over the last few years, and the competition is rising with new Whole Foods and Publix locations opening this month.
Eyewitness News reporter Joe Bruno analyzed the city's grocery store war and its effects for your family.
The highly anticipated Whole Foods location is giving workers and neighbors like Debbie Biscontini another grocery option in Center City.
“I think it is wonderful,” Biscontini said.
The Queen City is home to at least 14 major grocers, with many located next to each other.
The market keeps growing, and later this month, Publix plans to open the new store in Cotswold.
Supermarket analyst Phil Lempert said to expect this trend to continue.
“You've got the best, the brightest food-involved people,” Lempert said. “You've got millennials who care about the heritage of food."
Lempert said the grocery war is fantastic news for shoppers because it will force stores to drive down prices.
“We are going to have better stores, remodeled stores, more services, more variety,” Lempert said.
The new Whole Foods in uptown focuses heavily on the shopping experience with a huge prepared food section, plenty of samples and a bar.
They also are offering discounts for Amazon Prime embers and plan to roll out other perks.
“In the future, we are going to have delivery to Prime members within two hours,” team store leader Mark Frost said.
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