Last updated on December 12th, 2024
While established chains such as Albertsons, Kroger and Jewel-Osco continue to hold significant market share in Illinois, independent grocers are a growing segment. Armed with a passion for food, commitment to community and knack for innovation, they are reimagining the shopping experience and carving out a niche that is reshaping the way people shop.
Among other ways, these retailers have successfully differentiated themselves by offering unique products, exceptional customer service and a strong commitment to the towns they serve.
Parallel to this, the region is seeing several non-traditional grocery concepts taking hold, including farm-to-table markets, subscription-based grocery boxes and online grocery delivery services. Companies such as Instacart and Amazon Fresh are expanding their operations in Illinois, making it easier for consumers to shop for groceries online.
Here’s a quick glimpse at a few of the independents making a name for themselves in the Prairie State:
Sugar Beet Food Co-op
Located in Oak Park, Sugar Beet Food Co-op is a full-service, consumer-owned cooperative that prioritizes local, organic and fair-trade products. The store has been around for nine years, and its mission is to provide its members with healthy, affordable food while supporting sustainable agriculture and social justice.
Sugar Beet offers a wide variety of bulk items, prepared foods and natural health products. Wellness Wednesday, the first Wednesday of every month, is a big hit with shoppers. In addition to an opportunity to win a raffle, customers can get 10 percent off – and co-op members 15 percent – on all regularly priced supplements.
The co-op’s commitment to community engagement is evident in its support for local farmers’ markets, food banks and environmental initiatives.
HarvesTime Foods
HarvesTime Foods in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood is a family-owned grocery store specializing in fresh produce, meats and international food.
The Dallas brothers have been operating this location, a former Korean grocery store, since 1995. Its mission is to provide the highest quality, freshest ingredients at competitive prices.
HarvesTime Foods offers a large selection of produce, but it also reflects the changing demographics in the neighborhood. That means shoppers can also find a wide assortment of ethnic foods not typically found in other stores, including items from Asia, Bulgaria, Greece and the Middle East.
Known for its customer service, the store’s knowledgeable staff help customers find the right ingredients for their recipes.
Heavenly Square Grocery Store
One of the more recent food retailers to open in the greater Danville area, Heavenly Square Grocery Store replaced a former Save A Lot that was shuttered several years ago. Its opening this spring removed the city from food-desert status.
Owned by the New Life Church of Faith and run by Marcia Keys, general manager, it is known as the “friendliest grocery store in Danville.” Keys works with distributors to ensure pricing remains low.
According to the store’s mission statement, the goal is “to provide customers with discounted prices, a clean store and fast, friendly service.”
Four years in the making, it was able to open in part due to a $5 million grant from the Vermillion County Community Health Collaborative.
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Elected officials address food deserts, grocery tax
While independent grocers are making in-roads in Illinois and providing options for areas that previously had none, there are still pockets where residents do not have close access to food. A recent report noted more than 3 million residents – more than a quarter of the state’s population – live in food deserts.
To help address this and prevent closures of existing stores, state officials have made $18 million in grant money available through the New Stores in Food Deserts Program.
The grants fund construction and renovation costs for new stores, as well as many first-year operations costs such as employee wages, utility costs and initial inventory of food.
Qualified applicants can apply for grants ranging from $150,000 to $2.4 million, with a match required.
Another component of the broader effort, the Equipment Upgrades Program, offers grants for energy-efficient equipment upgrades.
“Eating well is essential for maintaining the physical, mental and financial health of our state’s residents. We are supporting the opening and maintenance of local grocery stores as part of our mission to end food deserts in Illinois and provide economic and community development for towns and neighborhoods across the state,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
Four stores received grant money during the previous round: Forty Acres Fresh Market in Chicago, Harvest Supermarket in Peoria, Rancho Supermarket in Rockford and Our Market At The Plaza Cooperative in Carlinville.
“Through the Illinois Grocery Initiative, the State of Illinois is changing lives and livelihoods by making it easier to put fresh food on the table,” said Kristin Richards, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “These grantees will make a significant impact on their communities and local economies by opening new stores and upgrading existing stores.”
The second round of the grant program is under way, with the deadline to apply Dec. 2.
Tax repeal
Pritzker has signed legislation eliminating the state’s 1 percent grocery tax, effective in 2026. The decision follows the Illinois General Assembly’s approval of the tax cut in May, which was initially proposed by Pritzker as part of his 2025 budget plan.
In his statement announcing the repeal, Pritzker emphasized the importance of this measure in providing relief to Illinois families struggling with rising food costs.
As the state continues to invest in initiatives like the New Stores in Food Deserts Program and the Equipment Upgrades Program, it is hoped more residents will gain access to healthy, affordable food.
