Food Lion will open six additional stores in the Carolinas and Georgia by year’s end, bringing its 2026 total to 10 new locations and setting what the omnichannel grocer calls a runway into 2027, when it plans more new stores within its 10-state footprint.
The acceleration marks a sustained new-store development phase for the Salisbury, North Carolina-based Ahold Delhaize USA banner, whose growth in recent years had leaned on market-by-market remodel waves. Food Lion opened four stores in the first quarter – in Pontiac and Simpsonville, South Carolina, and Statesville and Greensboro, North Carolina – and now adds a back half of openings running from next week through December:
- Summerfield, North Carolina – Sept. 23;
- Charlotte, North Carolina – Oct. 7;
- Lavonia, Georgia – Oct. 14;
- Greenville, South Carolina – October;
- Hilton Head, South Carolina – November;
- Wren, South Carolina – December.
Creating momentum
“Each new store is designed to meet our customers’ evolving needs,” said Greg Finchum, president of Food Lion. “The growth we’re experiencing in 2026 creates strong momentum for next year and beyond. Our associates look forward to welcoming neighbors into these new stores and continuing to nourish families with the easy and affordable shopping experience they count on from Food Lion.”
Each new store features what Food Lion says is an easy-to-shop layout and wide assortment, including ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook and ready-to-heat meal solutions; in-store prepared fresh-cut fruit; and organic, gluten-free and plant-based items under the grocer’s Nature’s Promise brand. Pickup and home delivery are available through Food Lion To Go, with partnerships with Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats providing additional options, and self-checkout lanes run alongside traditional checkout.
Local emphasis
The stores also carry the retailer’s Local Goodness program, with the six year-end openings featuring suppliers from the Carolinas and Georgia, keeping regional growers and manufacturers on shelves as the footprint expands.
Through the Food Lion Feeds platform, each new store will partner with area food banks and community organizations to support hunger relief. The platform has donated more than 1.5 billion meals since 2014 and has committed to donating a total of 3 billion meals by 2032.
Food Lion operates more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states with more than 82,000 associates.
Related: Food Lion Plans 4 Store Openings Across The Carolinas