Inventory Turnover › Grocery
Grocery Inventory Turnover Benchmarks 2026
Conventional US grocers run 12x to 16x inventory turnover. Kroger leads the named set near 16x on a lean LIFO inventory base. Perishables shorten the cycle; centre-store dry goods sit longer.
What is a typical grocery store inventory turnover ratio?
Grocery stores turn inventory roughly 12x to 16x per year, among the highest of any retail sector, because perishables force short replenishment cycles. On their latest fiscal 2025 10-Ks the named pure-play grocers run 16.3x (Kroger), 14.0x (Sprouts), 12.8x (Weis Markets) and 11.9x (Albertsons).
That works out to about 23 to 30 days of inventory on hand for the blended store. The store average hides a wide internal range: fresh produce and meat cycle in under a week, while centre-store dry grocery sits 20 to 30 days.
Named retailer 10-K data
| Retailer | Fiscal Year | Turnover | COGS | Avg Inventory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kroger(KR) | FY25 (ended Jan 2026) | 16.3x | $113.2B | $6.97B |
| Albertsons(ACI) | FY25 (ended Feb 2026) | 11.9x | $60.6B | $5.08B |
| Sprouts Farmers Market(SFM) | FY25 (ended Dec 2025) | 14.0x | $5.39B | $0.385B |
| Weis Markets(WMK) | FY25 (ended Dec 2025) | 12.8x | $3.72B | $0.290B |
Per-retailer notes
Kroger (KR)
16.3x turnoverLargest pure-play US grocer. Perishables drive a 16x base; fresh categories cycle in days, not weeks. Inventory shown net of the LIFO reserve (FIFO inventory $9.45B less a $2.55B LIFO reserve).
Source: Kroger 10-K, fiscal 2025
Albertsons (ACI)
11.9x turnoverMulti-banner grocer (Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco). Carries more inventory per dollar of sales than Kroger, so turns a few points slower.
Source: Albertsons 10-K, fiscal 2025
Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM)
14.0x turnoverSpecialty produce-led format. Higher perishable share keeps turnover in line with conventional supermarkets despite a lean SKU count. Sharp FY25 sales growth pulled in a larger inventory build, easing turnover a touch from FY24.
Source: Sprouts 10-K, fiscal 2025
Weis Markets (WMK)
12.8x turnoverRegional Mid-Atlantic grocer. Cost of sales includes warehousing and distribution, so the ratio runs a touch below the largest peers. COGS derived from net sales less reported gross profit.
Source: Weis Markets 10-K, fiscal 2025
Within-store category breakdown
Grocery is not monolithic. A typical conventional supermarket carries 30,000 to 50,000 SKUs across categories that cycle at very different speeds. The blended store turnover (~12x) masks a wide internal range.
| Category | Typical Turnover | Days on Hand |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh produce | 52-104x | 3-7 |
| Fresh meat / seafood | 73-104x | 3-5 |
| Dairy | 36-52x | 7-10 |
| Bakery (in-store) | 120x+ | 1-3 |
| Centre store dry grocery | 12-18x | 20-30 |
| Frozen | 10-15x | 24-36 |
| Health and beauty / general merch | 4-8x | 45-90 |
Category ranges derived from operator presentations and FMI / NACS retail benchmarks. FMI supermarket facts.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good inventory turnover ratio for a grocery store?
Conventional US supermarkets run roughly 12x to 16x inventory turnover per year, among the highest in retail. Above 16x is best-in-class (Kroger reached 16.3x in fiscal 2025); below about 10x usually signals slow-moving centre-store stock or overbuying. Perishable-led formats sit at the top of the band because fresh categories must cycle in days.
What is Kroger's inventory turnover ratio?
Kroger's inventory turnover was 16.3x in fiscal 2025 (COGS of $113.2B divided by average inventory of $6.97B), the highest among the named pure-play grocers here. The inventory base is shown net of a $2.55B LIFO reserve, which keeps the reported figure lean relative to FIFO peers.
How many days of inventory does a grocery store hold?
At 12x to 16x blended turnover, a supermarket holds roughly 23 to 30 days of inventory on hand for the whole store. The internal spread is wide: fresh produce and meat cycle in 3 to 7 days, dairy in 7 to 10, centre-store dry grocery in 20 to 30, and frozen in 24 to 36 days.
Why is grocery inventory turnover higher than most other retail sectors?
Perishability forces it. Fresh produce, meat, dairy and in-store bakery must sell within days, driving rapid replenishment that lifts the whole-store average. Thin grocery margins also require high velocity to earn an acceptable return on inventory investment, so supermarkets are built around fast turns rather than deep shelf stock.
Related
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