The January 2024 Rural Grocery 2023 Survey Findings Report is authored by Gwynn Stewart, MS, as a member of The Ohio State University Extension Business Retention & Expansion Team. Stewart also completed the Rural Grocery Transition Specialist micro-credential through Kansas State University Extension in 2023.

The report provides information from a survey of Ohio’s rural grocers. The estimated 424 retail grocers in rural census tracts are a critical partner to the fabric of Ohio’s rural communities. There are a variety of stressors to the sector including inflation, changes in technology and workforce pressures. There are also increasing types of competition from other types of grocery retail such as convenience and variety stores and online options.

While the response to the initial Ohio Rural Grocers Survey was limited, Ohio State University Extension plans to repeat the survey in the future to garner additional input and response from the sector.