Online Supermarket Test USA! Organic food to grilled meat on Instagram

Social Media Marketing for Food – The United States is home to the largest supermarket chains in the world today, Walmart, Whole Food, and even Trader Joe’s. Doing the big weekend shopping yourself and then driving home to the family in an SUV is something very few people want to do themselves. That’s why online grocery shopping is also growing rapidly in the US. Tip. Our article on: Food Start Ups USA in Check.

Ordering food online: The Hype

From New York to Los Angeles and Las Vegas, more and more people are ordering their groceries, from fruit to drinks, vegetables, sugar, bread and salt, online. And it pays off to order online! Not only do you save a lot of time shopping, as well as carrying the many shopping bags, sometimes you even save real money! Especially when buying in bulk, it is worthwhile to shop online. Not only for families, but also for singles, online ordering is becoming more and more attractive and that’s why we wanted to take a look at the big supermarket chains in the USA in comparison. Who is making an effort, who is involving their fans, who is reaching the most people?

Supermarket chains and digitalisation

The large supermarket chains have long been on the Internet and try to bring their products digitally to the man and woman. The Internet shops are designed very simply, so that you can order not only from the comfort of your laptop, but also from your mobile phone. Not only the big supermarkets are playing along, but Amazon is also becoming more and more involved in the online food trade. With the first pilot projects they are trying to become a permanent player in the market. But the food industry is very tough! It’s about every single center and every single gram. Money is only earned with the masses, which is why it is so important for online shops to reach many people.

Best Practice Food: More Checks

More on the subject:

Target group for online food

The target group for online grocery orders is clearly defined and is aimed at an audience that is very Internet-savvy anyway.

If you don’t order anything else on the Internet, you won’t start with food. However, if you already order other products, no matter what form they take, you won’t have far to go to order food for the first time. Looking at the online usage of Americans, we focus on an audience of 20 to 40 year olds. For people 35 to 45, you should run a different campaign. For individuals, above that also seniors and retirees, it is also profitable to run a second campaign that targets the children of the older individuals.

With the incredible advantage that the old man or the old lady no longer has to carry their bags themselves. Instead, they are conveniently delivered to the front door. It is not only about fruit but also about everyday things like kitchen rolls or toilet paper, washing-up liquid but also sugar, pepper or paprika spice powder.

Instagram marketing by major US supermarkets

Alongside Facebook and YouTube, Instagram is now part of people’s everyday lives. Thanks to the new Instagram Shopping function, you can now also direct your own fans to the online shop for the first time. Without a win code or cumbersome clicks through a link on the Instagram bio page. Shopping on Instagram has never been this easy, so we wanted to take a closer look. Food on the internet this is relatively new, so here’s our market check USA!

Markets in comparison

If you take a look at the Instagram channels of America’s largest supermarket chains, it quickly becomes clear: the social media managers here place a particularly high value on healthy food, families or animals. Whole Foods in particular has come up with a particularly nice idea: a dog carrying a Whole Foods bag in its mouth? Genius! Slightly less creative on Instagram are Kroger. The food doesn’t look appetizing, the posts aren’t varied, there’s simply no creativity here.

  • Whole Foods: Gone to the Dog – 8.5 / 10
  • Walmart: The Family Store with Fashion, Food and Everything – 7.2 / 10
  • Trader Joe’s: Delicious Meets Art – 8.1 / 10
  • Aldi USA: Fresh Food Upcoming – 7.8 / 10
  • Sprouts: The Farmers Market – 6.9 / 10
  • Fairway Market: Freshness that unfortunately does not quite perform – 6.7 / 10
  • Wild Oat Marketplace: Wild, wild, wild! – 6.2 / 10
  • Kroger: Well Meant, But No – 4.8 / 10
  • Food Lion: Little performance – 6.0 / 10

Quick Check for Engagement

The quick check at the end of each online merchant detail list will give you insight into the interaction rate. The formula can be quickly calculated:

Engagement = Likes / Followers

Of course, the result can be influenced by social bots. Ultimately, however, at least a cross-sector indicator that allows quick conclusions. These interaction rates can be checked more precisely through long-term tracking of posts, comments and likes. The total rating then stands for the combination of interaction with the visual performance of the channel.

Whole Foods: Up the dog

Whole Foods is a real giant! The Instagram channel has over 2.5 million fans and the concept is also very deliciously designed. A special teaser at Whole Foods are the dogs in every 7/8 picture. A cute little dog holding a Whole Food bag. We’ve covered Petfluencer in marketing before.

  • Rating: 8.5 / 10
  • 2,962 contributions
  • 2,500,000 subscribers
  • 4,517 subscribed
  • 13,600 Likes on average
  • 157 comments
  • Quick Check: 0.54% Commitment
  • Whole Foods Instagram

Walmart: The Family Market with Fashion, Food and Everything

Walmart is known worldwide and also on Instagram Walmart brings it to 1 million fans. Walmart is clearly more broadly positioned than the typical food supermarket. Fashion, furnishings, but also events, sports and animals.

  • Rating: 7.2 / 10
  • 1,326 contributions
  • 1.000.000 subscribers
  • 54 subscribed
  • 3,600 Likes on average
  • 132 comments
  • Quick Check: 0.36% Commitment
  • Wallmart Instagram

Trader Joe’s: Delicious Meets Art

Trader Joe’s has one of the nicest channels because they dare to do something. With little drawn comic sketches they tell little stories or take drawn hands that pick up the bacon. Very lovingly and partly elaborately thought and produced.

  • Rating: 8.1 / 10
  • 292 contributions
  • 424,000 subscribers
  • 0 subscribed
  • 9,870 Likes on average
  • 241 comments
  • Quick Check: 2.32% Commitment
  • Trader Joe’s Instagram

Aldi USA: Upcoming for fresh food

Delicious and fresh, quite different from the German original. Aldi USA presents itself as a healthy brand with fresh fruit and vegetables and delicious breakfast ideas.

  • Rating: 7.8 / 10
  • 545 contributions
  • 185,000 subscribers
  • 114 subscribed
  • 1,900 Likes on average
  • 32 comments
  • Quick Check: 0.10% commitment
  • Aldi USA Instagram

Sprouts: The farmers market

Go Green! Sprouts offers fresh vegetables and fruit from the countryside. Sprouts knows how to deal with delicious novelties but also classics like tomato and peppers.

  • Rating: 6.9 / 10
  • 1,544 contributions
  • 113,000 subscribers
  • 6,879 subscribed
  • 813 Likes on average
  • 14 comments
  • Quick Check: 6.08% Commitment
  • Sprouts Instagram

Fairway Market: Freshness that unfortunately does not quite perform

Fairway Market comes unusually fresh, showing not only products but also production and producers. From grilled meats to delicious desserts, it’s all there. Still, with 1,119 posts, Fairway Market makes it to only 6,819 followers. Strange, yet beautiful!

  • Rating: 6.7 / 10
  • 1,119 contributions
  • 6,819 subscribers
  • 2,724 subscribed
  • 104 Likes on average
  • 9 comments
  • Quick Check: 1.52% Commitment
  • Fairway Market Instagram

Wild Oat Marketplace: Wild, wild, wild!

After all the good recommendations, things are about to get a little more unsorted on Wild Oats. As the name Wild suggests, here on Instagram we have a mix of sunsets, reposts from other users, shelves, flower markets – what? Where’s the focus?

  • Rating: 6.2 / 10
  • 345 contributions
  • 8,556 subscribers
  • 1,451 subscribed
  • 82 Likes on average
  • 4 comments
  • Quick Check: 0.95% commitment
  • Wild Oat Instagram

Kroger: Well-meaning, but no

Kroger is also one of the biggest supermarket chains in the US, but Instagram doesn’t represent that at all. Blurry photos, not very nicely put together food (pancake disaster or even cereal/cheese/whatever bowls), immediately followed by creepy photos with supposedly funny fonts. Heavy fare with few followers. The CTA link (call to action to possibly close the sale) leads to a PDF form. Only a little over 50,000 followers out of over 1.5 million on Facebook. Weak performance.

  • Rating: 4.8 / 10
  • 1,142 contributions
  • 52,100 subscribers
  • 1,452 subscribed
  • 439 Likes on average
  • 22 comments
  • Quick Check: 0.84% Commitment
  • Kroger Instagram

Food Lion: Little performance

Food Lion is also surprising. One of the big supermarket chains in the US, yet only 6,627 followers. Unbelievable but true. They try to make an effort, but only do the typical mix of Facebook photos and some delicious reposts.

  • Rating: 6.0 / 10
  • 177 contributions
  • 6,627 subscribers
  • 0 subscribed
  • 68 Likes on average
  • Up to 2 comments
  • Quick Check: 1.02% Commitment
  • Food Lion Instagram

The largest food chains in the USA

These are the largest chains in the US currently (source: Wikipedia).

  1. Albertsons LLC – 2,400 stores
  2. Aldi Nord (operates under the name Trader Joe’s) – 479 stores
  3. Aldi Sud (operates under the name Aldi) – 1,600 stores
  4. Costco – approximately 500 warehouse stores
  5. Ahold Delhaize – 2265 stores
    Food Lion (1098)
    Hannaford (188 stores)
    Giant-Carlisle (197 stores)
    Giant-Landover (169 stores)
    Stop & Shop (416 stores)
    Martin’s Food Markets (197 stores)
  6. Kmart Super Center – 1 store, formerly 105 stores at its peak
  7. Kroger – 2,460 stores;
  8. SpartanNash – 167 retail stores
  9. SuperValu Inc.– 1,582 stores (691 corporate and 891 franchised stores)
  10. SuperTarget – 251 stores
  11. Walmart – 3522 stores + 699 Neighborhood Markets + 660 Sam’s Clubs
  12. Whole Foods – 430 stores

Conclusion it could go more in the food online trade

Instagram marketing has not yet fully penetrated the major US supermarket chains. In particular, 2 of the big chains are making little effort to be present on Instagram. While they gather over a million fans on Facebook, the Instagram channels are neglected with unloving postings. Badly copied is only just won and therefore it is advisable for large US food online retailers to rethink their Instagram marketing strategy soon. New content, new ideas, new photos and videos! A majority of US supermarkets already have a good figure in internet marketing. Still, the giants can learn something from the small startups. That’s why we took a close look at the grocery startups to find out why their interaction is 10 times higher on average! Find out how it works here, Food Startups in Comparison!