With Publix rumors in the air, which grocery chain is most popular in Lexington?

With rumors of a Publix coming to Brandon Crossing, the internet is abuzz as Fayette-area residents and travelers talk top grocery outlets.

But which grocery chain do Lexington shoppers traffic most?

Like Kentucky at large, Lexingtonians are visiting Walmart the most, according to data from SafeGraph. The sample foot traffic data indicate Lexington Walmarts saw 21,236 more visits so far this year than its next leading competitor, Kroger.

Last month alone, 19,933 trips were taken to Lexington Walmarts. Those “visits” are defined as stays at the store of 4 minutes or more, per SafeGraph.

It’s worth noting Walmart, branded as “supercenters,” sells much more than consumables and is a top grocery retailer in the country. Additionally, Walmart Inc. owns bulk grocer Sam’s Club.

Costco and Meijer made the middle of the pack for Lexington foot traffic, reporting around 5,000 store visits apiece last month in the area. Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Aldi rounded out the pack, with 969, 1,209 and 1,166 visits in March, respectively.

Use the interactive graphic below to explore foot traffic at the six top grocery retailers from January 2021 to March 2022.

Note: This interactive will update automatically as new data become available.

Additional grocers Clark’s Pump-N-Shop, Gordon Food Service Store, IGA, Save-A-Lot and The Fresh Market can be added using the drop down menu.

The Herald-Leader could not confirm Publix would be expanding to Nicholasville. A spokesperson said the company does not comment on plans before they have “confirmed leases” lined up.

Do you have a question about consumer topics in Kentucky? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out the form below or email ask@herald-leader.com.