Grocery stores have always been essential, but they emerged as vital consumer lifelines during the pandemic. These “essential” businesses dealt with a rollercoaster ride of consumer demand, supply chain disruption, and a heightened focus on operational and product safety.

Their importance remained even after the world crawled back to normal, but a few fundamental changes have stuck around, too. For example, shoppers still love buying groceries online and either taking advantage of home delivery or curbside pickup. And while consumers still prefer dining out, inflation keeps more people at home for meals. And the continued success of store brands persists as if nothing’s happened over the past half-decade.