If it feels like your grocery bill has gone up exponentially over the last few years, that’s because it has. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices have risen nearly 24% from 2020 to 2024.
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To cut back on costs, many Americans are being mindful about where they shop and opting for discount or low-cost grocery chains. Yet for some grocery chains, being out-of-budget for the average shopper is part of their renown.
Here’s a look at some of the most expensive grocery chains in the U.S. where only the rich can afford to shop.
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Erewhon
Right now Erewhon is only located in Southern California, but it’s gone viral nationwide for its high prices. Hailey Bieber’s famous Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie sells for $20, but if you want a really elite strawberry experience, you can purchase a single berry from luxury Japanese fruit vendor Elly Amai for $19.
If you want to do a whole grocery haul at Erewhon, you can easily spend $1,000 on your cart, Vanity Fair reported.
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Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods announced that it was reducing prices on 25% of its products in 2024, but it still boasts hefty costs compared to some other grocery stores. For example, a 24-ounce package of organic chicken bone broth costs $12.79 at Whole Foods while a comparable product sells for $8.49 at Sprouts.
Gelson’s Markets
Like Erewhon, the Gelson’s chain of supermarkets is only located in Southern California. Established in 1951, the first location was created to “provide discerning consumers with an extraordinary grocery shopping experience” — and that shopping experience costs a pretty penny. The chain was rated a 1 out of 5 by Consumer Reports for its price competitiveness, the lowest possible score.
A single organic avocado will set you back $3.99 at Gelson’s, while you can get a four-pack of organic avocados for $6.39 at Target.
The Fresh Market
The first The Fresh Market store was opened in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1982, with the goal of bringing a European-style food market to America. Today, the grocery chain has 166 locations in 22 states. It was rated a 1 out of 5 by Consumer Reports for its price competitiveness.
The store does seem to sell its products at a premium — 64 ounces of Organic Valley Omega-3 DHA, Whole Organic Milk sells for $7.69 at The Fresh Market, while other chains sell the same product for $6.89.
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Sources
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Mashed, “14 Most Expensive Grocery Chains In The US”
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, “U.S. food prices rose by 23.6 percent from 2020 to 2024”
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Vanity Fair, “How Erewhon Became Everyone’s Favorite Grocery Store Hot Spot”
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Fortune, “Whole Foods is cutting prices and ditching its ‘Whole Paycheck’ aura to appeal to inflation-weary shoppers”
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Consumer Reports, “Grocery Store & Supermarket ratings”
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 4 Expensive Grocery Stores Only the Rich Can Afford To Shop At
