There has been a lot of discussion in the last several years about the strength of the grocery sector. As discussed in my latest edition of Retail Rap, I think it’s clear that a big reason behind that success has been the evolution of different formats and the explosive growth of a new generation of grocery concepts that represent a significant departure from the traditional grocery model.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this lately — specifically about what it is that has worked for new grocery brands, and how grocery industry changes are affecting the traditional grocery chains: those traditional chains have typically maintained the highest market share in the business. These are the large store formats that offer strong mix of perishable items from meats, bakery and produce to non-perishable items such as canned foods, paper towels and frozen products: brands like Kroger, Weis Markets and Giant Food.

I’d love to here you thoughts on this installment of Retail Rap; have your grocery shopping habits changed over the years? Are you still going to one store for all your food shopping needs, or are you taking advantage of the grocery sector’s new diversity by branching out and changing your shopping patterns?