Dive Brief:
- Harris Teeter plans to build five new locations in three Southeastern states as it looks to expand into several communities where it currently does not have a presence, the Kroger-owned supermarket chain said Monday.
- The grocer said the stores, slated for Jacksonville, Florida; Kannapolis, North Carolina; and Clemson, Lake Wylie and Fort Mill, South Carolina, will begin serving shoppers “over the next couple of years.”
- Harris Teeter’s announcement follows the chain’s disclosure earlier this year that it closed five stores amid a drive by Kroger to cull dozens of underperforming locations across its banners by the end of 2026.
Dive Insight:
All five of the stores Harris Teeter plans to add to its fleet will be newly constructed and feature fuel stations, drive-thru pharmacies and upgraded decor.
The Clemson and Kannapolis stores will occupy 53,000 square feet, while the locations in Jacksonville, Lake Wylie and Fort Mill will span 61,000 square feet.
All of the new Harris Teeter locations will also offer expanded fresh departments along with amenities including an Asian hot bar, fresh pizza and a Murry’s Cheese island. In addition, the Jacksonville, Lake Wylie and Fort Mill stores will each include a full-service wine and beer bar.
Harris Teeter plans to begin building the Lake Wylie and Fort Mill stores during the next few months and expects construction on the other three locations in its pipeline to get underway in 2026. The stores are expected to each generate between 100 and 200 retail jobs.
The stores coming to Clemson, Lake Wylie, Kannapolis and Jacksonville will be the first Harris Teeter supermarkets in those areas, while the Fort Mill store will be the chain’s fourth in that town. The grocer noted that while the Kannapolis store will be its only location there, the Charlotte, North Carolina, suburb was home to the first store the company built under the Harris Teeter name after Harris Food Store and Teeter’s Food Mart merged in 1960.
Harris Teeter said its decision to add locations to its fleet reflects “a significant milestone in the company’s mission to bring high-quality, fresh ingredients and exceptional customer service to more communities.” The chain runs over 250 stores in seven states and Washington, D.C.
“We’ve seen incredible support from our customers, and this growth allows us to meet rising demand while continuing to deliver the exceptional experience our brand is known for,” Danna Robinson, director of corporate affairs and customer relations for the chain, said in a statement.
Harris Teeter’s expansion is kicking off as Kroger continues to regroup following its unsuccessful effort to gain scale by merging with Albertsons. The company said earlier this year that it plans to add four stores under its Kroger Marketplace format to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in addition to building three locations in Kentucky and Ohio that will sport its namesake banner.
