Rampant consolidation — including the proposed granddaddy of all mergers between Kroger and Albertsons — may lead some to believe that independent grocers are a dying breed. But in many ways, the proliferation of cookie-cutter chain stores only makes consumers appreciate small, locally-owned independents that much more.
A recent Fast Company article claimed that lockdowns and other pandemic changes “re-emphasized what makes [independent retailers] so resilient: the power of human connection, the thrill of discovery and the advantage of agility.”
