[random-human]

HEB is sorely missed when I live in or visit other states and go grocery shopping.

Beside national brands, they source from quality local small businesses, farms and ranches, and even make a wide range of their own "generic" brand food - including fresh foods like meal-simples (a complete meal for one, ready for the oven w/cooking directions), or even a full bbq joint in some stores. Their Central Market food brand found in HEB's is usually cheaper, fresher and healthier than national brands. But if you want higher end organics in majors cities, their Central Market stores in Austin put the original Whole Foods to shame, IMO. The few times I would go to Randells or Walmart would be during larger holidays when HEB was closed and those stores were generally more expensive, had questionable produce and a disappointing selection of just about everything else in comparison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-E-B

[jkqwzsoo]

I absolutely agree that Central Market far surpasses Whole Foods. I wanted to add that a major benefit of Central Market is their incredible bulk bin selection. I’m certain that it must be a loss leader, and I haven’t seen one so extensive in any other store. My girlfriend and I go there and pick up spices and tea for dirt cheap. 50¢ to refill a tin with “fancy cumin”, 30¢ to refill a tin with (very high quality, IMO) oregano. $2 to buy a cup (8 oz) of loose tea that lasts us three weeks (and the only other tea they have are expensive tea bags that cost >$6). $1 for some fancy finishing salt. You can shop for a recipe or shop for the pantry. From time to time, their self checkout flags the spices because we’re purchasing 7¢ of something got a recipe. They never complain, though.

They have almost every spice, spice blend, dried chili, dried mushroom, rice, bean, grain, tea, coffee, and flour you could want, in addition to baking odds and ends like powdered cheese, chocolate feves, and xantham gum.

Coming from New England, I find a lot of the dry goods at Central Market to be equivalent to a Big Y (not a Whole Foods competitor). This is because a lot of their “high end” product is just imported Italian food, which is very common in New England (particularly Connecticut). Their produce, meat, and cheese selection is great, albeit expensive. It can also be hard to find “normal” packaged stuff there.

Also, HEB/Central Market in general has been better at weathering supply shortages. During peak COVID, it was the only place in Austin with stuff still in stock.

[jen20]

Central Market is also in Houston and maybe other places - definitely not just an Austin thing.

My biggest complaint is that they don’t take Apple Pay, which I assume means they are doing something scummy with data collection.