The Top 10 Supermarkets in Australia 2026 reflects a highly concentrated retail market structured around two dominant national chains, a large independent supermarket network supplied through wholesalers, and a growing mix of discount, warehouse, and convenience grocery operators. This ranking is based on a hybrid methodology that considers revenue, store network, market share, supply chain control, and influence over suppliers and private label manufacturing. Together, these companies define how food, fresh produce, and FMCG products move through the Australian retail system, from manufacturers and importers to distribution centres and supermarket shelves across the country.

At a Glance

Rank Company Store Count (approx. 2026) Primary Role
1 Woolworths 1,130+ Market leader (revenue & share)
2 Coles 860+ National supermarket chain
3 ALDI Australia 600+ Discount supermarket
4 Metcash (IGA) 1,280+ Wholesale & independent network
5 FoodWorks 320+ Independent retail group
6 Costco Australia 15+ Warehouse bulk retail
7 7-Eleven Australia 750+ Convenience leader
8 Friendly Grocer 210+ Community supermarket network
9 SPAR Australia 115+ Independent / convenience network
10 Drakes / Harris Farm 70+ / 38+ Independent / premium fresh

By store footprint, independent supermarkets supplied through wholesale networks actually represent the largest number of physical grocery stores in Australia, even though Woolworths and Coles dominate total revenue and market share.

1. Woolworths Group

Founded: 1924
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
Store Network: 1,130+ supermarkets and metro stores
FY Revenue: FY2025 Group Revenue approximately AUD 69.1 billion (Australian Food approximately AUD 51.4 billion)

Core Segments:

  • Woolworths Supermarkets
  • Woolworths Metro
  • Big W
  • Online grocery and e-commerce
  • Distribution and supply chain operations

Woolworths is the largest supermarket operator in Australia and the most influential food retailer in the country, operating national distribution centres, advanced logistics infrastructure and a large private label program. Due to its scale and national supply chain network, the company has significant influence over supplier pricing, packaging formats and product distribution across the Australian grocery market.

Woolworths holds the leading market position by revenue and market share in Australian food retail and continues to invest in automated distribution centres, e-commerce fulfilment and the expansion of private label ranges as part of its long-term retail strategy.

2. Coles Group

Founded: 1914
Headquarters: Melbourne, Australia
Store Network: 860+ supermarkets
FY Revenue: FY2025 Group Revenue approximately AUD 44.3 billion (Supermarket revenue approximately AUD 39 billion)

Core Segments:

  • Coles supermarkets
  • Coles Online
  • Coles Express convenience retail
  • Private label products
  • Distribution and logistics

Coles is the second largest supermarket chain in Australia and the primary competitor to Woolworths, operating a national store network supported by major distribution infrastructure and a large private label program across packaged food, fresh food and household goods. Its scale and integrated supply chain position it as a key player in the Australian grocery market, with strong influence over sourcing, pricing and product distribution. Coles holds the position of the second largest supermarket operator in the country and continues to focus on supply chain automation, digital retail expansion and private label growth as part of its long-term strategy.

3. ALDI Australia

Founded (Australia): 2001
Headquarters: Germany
Store Network: 600+ stores
FY Revenue: Estimated approximately AUD 15 billion (Australia)

Core Segments:

  • Discount supermarkets
  • Private label grocery products
  • Limited assortment retail model
  • National store expansion

ALDI operates a discount supermarket model based almost entirely on private label products and a limited assortment strategy, allowing the company to maintain lower operating costs and competitive pricing across the Australian grocery market. The company has played a major role in price competition across the Australian supermarket sector and has significantly influenced private label development, packaging formats and pricing strategies across the industry. ALDI is the largest discount supermarket operator in Australia and continues to focus on store network expansion and private label product development as part of its long-term growth strategy.

4. Metcash (IGA / Foodland / Independent Network)

Founded: 1927
Headquarters: Sydney, Australia
Store Network: Supplies 1,280+ independent supermarkets
FY Revenue: FY2025 approximately AUD 19.5 billion (wholesale revenue)

Core Segments:

  • Wholesale food distribution
  • IGA supermarkets
  • Foodland supermarkets
  • Independent retailer supply
  • Liquor distribution

Metcash operates as a wholesale distributor rather than a traditional supermarket chain, supplying independent supermarkets across Australia including IGA and Foodland stores through its national wholesale and distribution network. The company plays a central role in supporting independent retailers with sourcing, logistics, private label products and distribution infrastructure.

Metcash represents the largest independent supermarket supply network in Australia, and its reported revenue reflects wholesale distribution rather than total retail sales at IGA stores, which are significantly higher at consumer level. The company’s strategy focuses on strengthening independent retail supply chains and expanding private label programs to improve the competitiveness of independent supermarkets.

5. FoodWorks

Headquarters: Australia
Store Network: 320+ stores
FY Revenue: Estimated (independent retail network)

Core Segments:

  • Independent supermarkets
  • Local grocery retail
  • Fresh food retail
  • Community-based supermarket operations

FoodWorks operates as an independent supermarket group supported by wholesale supply networks and focuses primarily on regional and community-based supermarkets across Australia. The group plays an important role in rural and regional food distribution, particularly in areas where large national chains have a smaller presence. FoodWorks holds a position as a major independent supermarket network in Australia and continues to focus on strengthening regional store networks, supporting independent retailers and increasing local sourcing as part of its long-term strategy.

6. Costco Australia

Founded (Australia): 2009
Headquarters: United States
Store Network: 15+ warehouse stores
FY Revenue: Estimated AUD 4–5 billion (Australia)

Core Segments:

  • Warehouse bulk retail
  • Private label (Kirkland Signature)
  • Membership retail model
  • Bulk grocery and FMCG sales

Costco operates a warehouse retail model focused on bulk purchasing, private label products and low-margin pricing, which allows the company to compete on value across grocery, packaged food and household goods categories. Its membership-based format and bulk sales model influence pricing benchmarks in several FMCG categories and create competitive pressure on traditional supermarkets, particularly in packaged goods and household essentials. Costco holds a position as the leading warehouse retail operator in Australia and continues to focus on warehouse expansion and private label growth as part of its long-term retail strategy.

7. 7-Eleven Australia

Founded: 1977 (Australia)
Headquarters: Australia (Owned by Seven & i Holdings, Japan)
Store Network: 750+ stores
FY Revenue: Estimated

Core Segments:

  • Convenience grocery
  • Ready-to-eat meals
  • Beverages and snacks
  • Fuel retail partnerships

7-Eleven is the largest convenience store network in Australia and plays a significant role in impulse grocery sales, beverages and ready-to-eat food across urban and fuel-linked retail locations. The company operates a high-frequency convenience model that focuses on ready meals, snacks and daily essentials rather than full-range supermarket retail, making it an important part of the convenience segment of the Australian grocery market. 7-Eleven holds the position of the largest convenience grocery retailer in Australia and is continuing to expand fresh food, ready meals and convenience retail formats as part of its long-term strategy.

8. Friendly Grocer

Headquarters: Australia
Store Network: 210+ stores
FY Revenue: Estimated

Core Segments:

  • Independent supermarkets
  • Community grocery retail
  • Regional and suburban stores
  • Wholesale supplied retail

Friendly Grocer operates as a banner group for independent supermarkets and convenience stores supplied through wholesale distribution networks, supporting locally owned retailers across neighbourhood and community locations. The group plays an important role in community-based grocery retail, particularly in suburban and regional areas where independent stores remain an important part of the retail landscape. Friendly Grocer holds a position as a community supermarket network operator in Australia and continues to focus on expansion in regional and neighbourhood retail locations as part of its ongoing retail strategy.

9. SPAR Australia

Headquarters: Netherlands (global network)
Store Network: 115+ stores
FY Revenue: Estimated

Core Segments:

  • Independent supermarkets
  • Convenience stores
  • Wholesale distribution
  • Private label products

SPAR operates as an independent supermarket and convenience retail network supported by wholesale distribution, banner branding and private label product programs, supplying independently owned stores across Australia. The network focuses on convenience retail, neighbourhood supermarkets and independently operated grocery stores, making it part of the independent retail segment of the Australian grocery market. SPAR holds a position as an independent and convenience retail network operator in Australia and continues to focus on expansion in convenience retail formats and independent store supply as part of its ongoing strategy.

10. Drakes Supermarkets / Harris Farm Markets

Headquarters: Australia
Store Network: Drakes 70+ stores / Harris Farm 38+ stores
FY Revenue: Estimated

Core Segments:

  • Supermarkets
  • Fresh food retail
  • Premium grocery retail
  • Private label products
  • Direct sourcing

Drakes is the largest independent supermarket chain in Australia, while Harris Farm Markets focuses on fresh produce and premium grocery retail, with both companies operating in the independent and specialised supermarket segment of the Australian grocery market. These retailers focus on fresh food, local sourcing and differentiated product ranges rather than competing directly with national chains on scale. Drakes and Harris Farm Markets hold positions as independent and premium supermarket operators in Australia and continue to focus on store expansion, fresh food retail and local sourcing as part of their long-term retail strategies.

Structure of the Australian Supermarket Market

The Australian supermarket industry operates through three primary retail structures. The first is the national supermarket duopoly, dominated by Woolworths and Coles, which control the majority of grocery revenue and operate national distribution networks. The second structure is the independent supermarket network supplied by wholesalers such as Metcash, which includes IGA, FoodWorks and Friendly Grocer stores and represents the largest number of physical supermarket locations in the country. The third structure includes discount, warehouse and convenience retail operators such as ALDI, Costco and 7-Eleven, which compete on price, bulk purchasing and convenience rather than full-line supermarket range.

In 2025 and 2026, the Australian supermarket sector has also been under increased regulatory scrutiny, particularly focused on pricing practices, supplier relationships and market concentration. Government and competition authorities have examined pricing behaviour and supplier margins across the sector, particularly in relation to the dominant market position of Woolworths and Coles. This regulatory environment is expected to influence pricing strategies, supplier negotiations and private label expansion across the industry.

Supply Chain and Private Label Power

Private label products are a major part of the Australian supermarket industry. Woolworths, Coles and ALDI operate large private label programs that influence manufacturing, packaging and supplier relationships across multiple product categories including packaged food, fresh food, frozen products, beverages and household goods.

ALDI operates primarily on a private label model, while Woolworths and Coles continue to expand their own brand ranges across value, mid-tier and premium private label categories. Independent supermarket networks supplied through Metcash also operate private label programs, allowing smaller retailers to compete on price and product range.

From a supply chain perspective, the Australian supermarket industry is highly centralised. Major retailers operate large distribution centres that control product flow across the country, meaning access to national distribution networks is critical for suppliers entering the Australian retail market.

What Happens Next in the Australia Supermarket Industry

The Australian supermarket industry is expected to continue evolving through automation, e-commerce growth, private label expansion and supply chain modernisation. Major retailers are investing in automated distribution centres and online grocery fulfilment, while discount retail is expected to continue expanding through ALDI store growth.

Convenience grocery and ready-to-eat food retail are also expected to grow, particularly through convenience chains and fuel-linked retail locations. At the same time, regulatory oversight and competition policy are expected to remain a major factor shaping pricing strategies and supplier relationships across the sector.

Conclusion

The Top 10 Supermarkets in Australia 2026 represent a retail structure built around national supermarket chains, independent retail networks, discount supermarkets, warehouse retail and convenience grocery operators. Together, these companies define the structure of the Australia supermarket sector, and play a central role in private label manufacturing, logistics and supplier access across the wider Australia FMCG supply chain. As distribution networks, private label programs and retail logistics continue to evolve, these retailers will remain key gatekeepers for companies operating in the Australia packaging and grocery distribution market.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on publicly available company reports, industry estimates and retail market analysis. Revenue figures are based on FY2024 or FY2025 where available. Estimated figures are used for private companies where audited revenue is not publicly disclosed. Currency figures are in Australian dollars. Metcash revenue represents wholesale distribution revenue, not total retail sales at independent supermarkets.