Subscription meal kit company Blue Apron has topped this year’s list of America’s hottest stores.
Blue Apron has delivered more than 150 million meals since it was founded five years ago and saw annual sales grow a dramatic 133 per cent in 2016 to $795.4 million.
The Hot 100 list of the US’ fastest-growing retailers is compiled by research firm Kantar Retail and published in the August issue of the NRF magazine Stores. The rankings are based on sales growth in 2016 over 2015 and includes both public and privately held retail companies by US domestic sales, with a $300 million threshold for inclusion.
Second ranked retailer this year is online furniture and home decor seller Wayfair, where sales grew 54 per cent to $2.9 billion as it expanded its offerings to include greater price and quality ranges.
Coming in third is longtime traditional retailer Ascena Retail Group – parent company of Ann Taylor, Catherines, Dress Barn, Lane Bryant and Maurices – which has been aggressive with mergers and acquisitions in recent years and had 50 per cent sales growth at $7 billion. At fourth is online pet food seller Chewy.com with 48 per cent growth to $900 million, followed in fifth by online building supply company Build.com/Wolseley, which grew 38 per cent to $911 million.
The top 10 was completed by convenience store operator CST Brands, up 29 per cent at $2.1 billion; subscription fashion retailer JustFab, up 29 per cent at $572 million; supermarket and department store chain Grupo Comercial Chedraui, up 27 per cent at $1.5 billion; supermarket chain Gelson’s Markets, up 26 per cent at $723 million; and online giant Amazon.com, up 25 per cent at $77 billion.
“The retail industry is getting better at addressing shifts in shopping behaviors and thinking differently,” said Stores media editor Susan Reda. “What matters most to consumers is a retailer differentiating itself in the marketplace, being innovative with merchandise and offering the right value to the right person, not whether a retailer is ‘bricks or clicks.’
“The mix of both traditional and digital retailers on this year’s list reflects that. The secret to sustained growth going forward is a symbiotic relationship between digital and physical retailing.”
Online companies make up six of the top 10 companies, but the majority of retailers on the full Hot 100 list are either traditional retailers or retailers that sell both in-store and online. Fewer than 10 companies are pure-play e-commerce.
Fourteen companies with ‘Sustained Sizzle’
Fourteen retailers are recognised as “sustained sizzlers” for having made the Hot 100 list each year since its inception in 2006. The list below includes their sales growth since 2011 and their 2017 ranking:
Amazon.com – 192 per cent (10)
Aldi – 42 per cent (40)
Dollar General – 48 per cent (47)
Ross Stores – 49 per cent (52)
O’Reilly Automotive – 48 per cent (51)
Dick’s Sporting Goods – 52 per cent (43)
Tractor Supply Co. – 60 per cent (44)
Academy Sports + Outdoor – 156 per cent (27)
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance – 160 per cent (11)
Sprouts Farmers Market – 251 per cent (30)
Casey’s General Stores – 67 per cent (55)
Grocery Outlet – 197 per cent (49)
Sephora – 44 per cent (67)
Lululemon Athletica – 208 per cent (38)
