Why grocery keeps winning when retail keeps changing

Why is grocery-anchored retail still the most resilient asset class in 2026? Grocery-anchored retail continues to prove why it remains one of the most durable and coveted asset classes in commercial real estate. Despite persistent narratives around online grocery, delivery economics, and shifting consumer behavior, grocery real estate entered 2026 from a position of strength, not disruption. Sales growth in 2025 outpaced inflation, signaling more than just higher food costs. Consumers are spending more inside grocery stores, cooking at home, and prioritizing value over convenience. While online grocery sales continue to rise, they now represent roughly 17 percent of total spend, a level that feels elevated and increasingly close to a plateau. Delivery fees, reverse logistics, and thin margins reinforce a fundamental truth: for most shoppers, value wins. The tactile nature of grocery shopping, selecting produce, choosing cuts of meat, and controlling quality creates a level of stickiness unmatched in other retail categories. From a real estate perspective, grocery stores remain exceptional traffic drivers and increasingly valuable anchors. Grocers are reinvesting heavily in their locations on a steady cadence, often without landlord contributions, strengthening centers while protecting long-term performance. That reinvestment comes with expectations, as landlords are pressured to keep common areas and surrounding spaces competitive. When a grocer leaves, outcomes become highly market-specific, ranging from strong backfill demand to full asset repositioning depending on competition, capital availability, and consumer density. Specialty grocers are having a moment, and it is not confined to coastal markets. Ethnically diverse concepts, fresh-focused operators, value-driven formats, and curated regional brands are scaling nationally. These retailers are transforming historically local shopping behaviors into repeatable, high-performing models that attract both loyal core customers and curious new shoppers. Even Amazon’s retreat from its Fresh concept underscores the sector’s resilience. Grocery remains intensely competitive, operationally complex, and deeply rooted in experience, service, and value. The takeaway is clear: brick-and-mortar grocery is not just surviving. It is reinforcing its role as one of retail real estate’s most reliable foundations What You’ll Hear Why grocery continues to anchor retail real estate - A clear-eyed look at why grocery remains one of the most stable, high-performing asset classes despite years of disruption headlines. How consumer spending is shaping the grocery sector - Why sales growth outpaced inflation and what that reveals about value, at-home consumption, and evolving shopping behavior. The real story behind online grocery growth - A candid discussion on delivery costs, margins, and why convenience has limits in a value-driven category. What makes grocery shopping so “sticky” - The human behaviors, from produce to protein, that keep consumers returning to physical stores. Why grocers keep reinvesting in brick-and-mortar locations - How ongoing store reinvestment strengthens centers and creates long-term benefits for landlords. What happens when a grocery anchor leaves a center - Why backfill, repositioning, and outcomes vary dramatically depending on market dynamics. The rise of specialty and ethnic grocers nationwide - How curated concepts, fresh-focused formats, and regional operators are scaling across the country. What Amazon Fresh got wrong about grocery - Lessons from Amazon’s retreat and why technology alone cannot replace value, service, and loyalty. Why grocery real estate still wins - A closing perspective on durability, frequency, and why grocery remains foundational to open-air retail. Chapters 00:00 – Grocery’s staying power in retail real estate Why grocery continues to stand out as one of the most resilient and reliable anchors in open-air retail. 02:10 – Consumer spending trends shaping grocery in 2025 How sales growth outpaced inflation and what it says about value, at-home consumption, and shopper behavior. 04:25 – Online grocery growth and the reality of delivery economics Why rising costs, thin margins, and logistics challenges are slowing the push toward full digital adoption. 07:15 – The stickiness of the in-store grocery experience From produce to protein, the physical elements of grocery shopping that keep consumers coming back. 09:50 – Grocer reinvestment and what it means for landlords How consistent store reinvestment strengthens centers and raises expectations for the rest of the asset. 12:30 – When a grocery anchor leaves a shopping center Why outcomes range from strong backfill demand to full asset repositioning depending on the market. 15:10 – The rise of specialty and ethnic grocery concepts How fresh-focused, curated, and ethnically diverse grocers are scaling across the U.S. 18:05 – Why Amazon Fresh failed to break through Lessons from Amazon’s exit and what it reveals about loyalty, value, and grocery fundamentals. 21:35 – What grocery real estate gets right A closing look at frequency, durability, and why grocery remains foundational to open-air retail.