Price Chopper Supermarkets is an American supermarket chain owned by Northeast Grocery, headquartered in Schenectady, New York. The chain operates stores in six states—Upstate New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania—under the Price Chopper, Market Bistro, and Market 32 banners. Known for a blend of value-focused merchandising and modernized store environments, the company has undergone significant rebranding and expansion over the past decade to position itself as an upscale regional grocer while maintaining competitive pricing across its core markets.
The company has evolved from a discount retailer to a more upscale grocer, driven by strategic investments in store redesigns, expanded food-service offerings, and enhanced private-label products. The chain competes with national retailers including Walmart, Hannaford, and discount chains like Aldi, as well as specialty grocers in its densely competitive northeastern markets. Market 32 represents the company’s ongoing modernization effort, anchoring its long-term growth strategy in the region.
History
In 1927, William Golub and his brother Bernard took over the wholesale grocery that their father Lewis Golub had opened in 1908 after emigrating from Russia. In 1932, Joseph E. Grosberg, together with Bernard and William Golub, partners in the Grosberg-Golub Corporation, opened their first supermarket (initially called Public Service Market) in Green Island, New York, followed by stores in Watervliet and Schenectady. The chain changed its name from Central Market to Price Chopper in 1973.
Prior to 1990, Price Chopper was barely a player in New England, with only about half a dozen outlets in Massachusetts and Vermont. In 1993, Price Chopper launched an updated version of the Super Center format with a South Hills Mall store in Poughkeepsie, featuring greater emphasis on take-out and ready-to-eat meals with in-house branded concepts including Roasters (rotisserie chicken), Bella Roma (pizza), Coyote Joe’s (tacos and burritos), and the Bagel Factory. This store closed on July 15, 2006, and was converted into a ShopRite.
On November 11, 2014, CEO Jerry Golub, along with Executive Chairman Neil Golub and COO Scott Grimmett, announced that the chain would change its name to “Market 32,” reflecting the year of the company’s founding (1932) by brothers Ben and Bill Golub. The name change reflected Price Chopper’s continuing advancement and signaled that the company was positioning itself as an upscale grocer rather than a discount retailer.
On February 8, 2021, Price Chopper Supermarkets/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets announced plans to merge, with the merger completing November 8, 2021, under the parent company Northeast Grocery. In November 2023, Price Chopper purchased all five former ShopRite locations in the Capital Region, with the Niskayuna and North Greenbush locations converted to Market 32, while the Price Chopper locations at Westgate Plaza and Colonie Plaza relocated to the former ShopRites in Albany and Colonie as Market 32s.
Operations & Footprint
The chain operates in six states: Upstate New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. The Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Friendly Markets businesses retain main offices in Schenectady and Williamsville and continue to be managed locally by their respective leaders.
Northeast Grocery, the parent company formed by the 2021 merger of Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops, is privately held and headquartered in Schenectady, New York. Golub Corporation was initially 100 percent family and employee-owned, and control rests with legacy leadership and internal stakeholders, balancing the Golub family’s long history with Tops’ management-led governance.
Price Chopper operates four private label brands: PICS by Price Chopper (the main brand being phased in to replace the Price Chopper brand), Price Chopper (the main brand used on most food products, being phased out with the transition to Market 32), Price Chopper Naturals (organic products being phased out), and Central Market Classics (an upscale brand for higher-end foods currently being phased out).
Products, Services & Merchandising
Price Chopper’s Market Bistro concept features an expanded food court with hamburgers, a Ben & Bill’s sandwich counter, stone-fired pizza, an ice cream shop, Chef’s Grill, an expanded 24-hour drive-through pharmacy, an on-site clinic, and a cooking school. The company has invested in modernized store layouts, expanded fresh departments, and diverse prepared-food offerings to differentiate itself in competitive markets.
Price Chopper brand products, AdvantEdge card savings including the Fuel AdvantEdge program, double coupons, and e-coupons have been incorporated into Market 32 stores. Digital tools including the Price Chopper mobile app and loyalty program support customer engagement and transaction convenience across the banner portfolio.
Work Environment & Employment
Golub is one of the leading employers in the Capital District of New York. The company has maintained a regional focus on workforce stability and training, supported by its private, family-led ownership model that has historically prioritized long-term employee relationships and community investment.
Former CEO and current Chairman Neil Golub is a well-known philanthropist in the region, and Price Chopper’s charitable arm, the Golub Foundation, sponsors many special events such as the Empire State Plaza’s annual Independence Day celebration in Albany, New York.
Business Model & Financial History
Northeast Grocery’s ownership model reflects a private, family-led governance structure that has avoided public listings and large private equity takeovers, enabling the company to pursue a multi-year strategic plan including a $500,000,000 Market 32 conversion program and maintain a long-term horizon for capital allocation.
The regional grocery market operates on characteristically thin margins, with success dependent on scale, operational efficiency, and customer loyalty. Price Chopper’s post-2014 strategy shifted focus from discount positioning toward an upscale market orientation, supported by store modernization investments and enhanced merchandising. The chain faced increasing competition from giants like Hannaford, Aldi, and Walmart, driving the need for strategic repositioning and differentiation.
On June 17, 2015, Price Chopper announced plans to phase out the sale of tobacco products in all 135 of its Price Chopper and Market 32 stores, joining competitors ShopRite, Wegmans, and CVS/pharmacy.
Competitive Landscape
The chain faces competition from giants including Hannaford, Aldi, and Walmart, as well as specialty and natural-foods retailers that have expanded into its northeastern footprint. Regional competitors include Hannaford Bros., Market Basket, and regional ShopRite operators. The competitive environment has intensified with e-commerce penetration and the growth of discount grocers, challenging traditional regional chains to innovate on pricing, service, and differentiation.
In recent years, the Albany market has seen new branches of ShopRite, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Healthy Living Market, exemplifying the competitive pressures shaping Price Chopper’s strategic response and rebranding effort.
Recent Developments & Outlook
As of February 2024, 42 stores were operating under the Market 32 banner, with an aggressive rebranding plan for the remaining Price Chopper locations. The Market 32 conversion initiative represents the company’s primary growth vector, emphasizing modernized store design, elevated merchandising, and expanded food-service amenities to compete more effectively with both regional and national competitors.
The Market Bistro location in Latham, New York was converted to Market 32 in June 2026. The ongoing conversion effort reflects the company’s commitment to repositioning its banner portfolio and reinforcing its standing as a modernized regional grocer serving northeastern communities.
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