Last updated on June 13th, 2024
Gelson’s Markets has been rated “Best in the West” among Consumer Reports’ annual Grocery Store and Supermarket Rankings released earlier in April.
Southern California-based Gelson’s Markets also was rated fourth in the nation in Consumer Reports’ rankings of 96 grocery brands.
In Consumer Reports’ Grocery Store & Supermarket Rankings published on April 17, which include the satisfaction scores of thousands of customers, Gelson’s earned the highest-possible grade in eight out of 12 relevant categories including produce quality and variety, selection of locally harvested produce, meat/poultry quality, fresh store-prepared foods, helpfulness/attentiveness of employees, checkout speed and store cleanliness, as well as the second-highest grade in selection of healthy options and variety of international produce.
“This is a huge accomplishment and something of which we as a company should be very proud,” Gelson’s President and CEO Rob McDougall said. “Every day, our entire Gelson’s team makes this possible through their dedication and hard work. For nearly seven decades, we have remained fiercely committed to the vision of our founders Bernie and Eugene Gelson, offering the highest quality products, service and shopping experience to customers across Southern California.”
CR asked members to judge supermarkets, warehouse clubs and supercenters on 13 grocery-store attributes, including cleanliness, price, food quality and variety, checkout speed and staff helpfulness, selection of healthy options and locally produced foods, and variety of international and multicultural foods.
“I’m not rich but I like food,” said Betsy Gallery, who shops Gelson’s Markets in Santa Barbara, California, told the CR survey. “So I don’t mind spending more. They have a smaller selection than some stores, but what they have is excellent.”
Jeff Salgo of Toluca Lake, California, a regular Gelson’s shopper, said he finds the fruits and vegetables at Gelson’s to be “beautiful, amazing.” He also told CR he finds Gelson’s only slightly more expensive than other local food stores.
Founded in 1951, Gelson’s Markets operates 27 full-service specialty grocery stores in Southern California.
