• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, May 12, 2015

Turns out you don't need advertising or social media to be America’s favorite brand: For the third year in a row, Trader Joe’s has emerged as the people’s choice for groceries.

Market Force Information’s annual grocery study, based on 7,200 consumers nationwide, ranks Publix second, followed by Aldi, Hy-Vee and H-E-B. And it also finds that in choosing their favorites, consumers in the $600 billion category are paying even closer attention to organics, with 48% of shoppers saying they prefer these foods when given a choice. Prepared foods are also a bigger driver, with 28% purchasing these time-savers at least weekly, up 10% from last year. And tech is gaining, with 39% reporting they have used a grocery app, mostly to get coupons.

Rankings are based on a composite loyalty index, using satisfaction with the respondent’s most recent grocery shopping experience, and the likelihood they would refer someone to that store. Winner Trader Joe’s comes in at 78%, scoring especially well on cashier courtesy, fast checkouts, cleanliness and its popular store brands. Publix followed at 74%, although it ranked highest in the merchandise selection category. 

When ranked solely on value, the Littleton, Colo.-based market research company says Aldi came in on top.

But the research also finds that a significant number — one in eight — says their last trip to the grocery store was a disappointment. “This is especially impactful when you consider that delighted customers are 2.4 times more likely to recommend their grocer to others,” says Cheryl Flink, chief strategy officer for Market Force, in the report. 

For shoppers looking for organic purchases, fruits and vegetables are the main focus, with 90% saying they had purchased them within the last month. Meat came next at 55%, then dairy at 54%, falling to 29% for organic packaged and canned options.

It also reports that the good old-fashioned store circular is still a favorite, with almost half of shoppers reading through them weekly; 16% use them three to four times a week.