The Pennsylvania-Based Grocery Store That's Cheaper Than Aldi And Trader Joe's

In a market where consumers are constantly looking for ways to save money, discount supermarkets like Aldi and Trader Joe's have become popular choices. However, another Pennsylvania-based grocery store, Sharp Shopper, is also gaining attention for its affordable prices, a result of its focus on closeout products. Closeouts occur when an item is priced very low to clear remaining stock. This can happen for several reasons, including warehouse damage, overproduction, packaging changes, or the item being seasonal.

Another factor in Sharp Shopper's low pricing is its sale of non-perishable items with short date codes — meaning they are close to or even past their suggested "best by" date. While the idea of consuming items past their "sell by" date can seem risky, Sharp Shopper complies with all state and federal standards set by the Department of Agriculture. In addition to closeout products, the store offers fresh dairy, bread, produce, bulk foods, and soft drinks.

The downside to this model is that Sharp Shopper's inventory is constantly changing, and finding the same product twice can be unlikely. The upside, however, is that this approach allows the grocery chain to consistently guarantee low prices.

While Sharp Shopper is known as a discount grocer, it faces stiff competition. But when you compare prices directly with some of the biggest names in discount food, Sharp Shopper often comes out ahead by a wide margin.

For example, Aldi — often considered cheaper than Walmart — sells Good Belly probiotic drinks for $3.59, which is already a good deal compared to the $6.49 price at many standard grocery stores. However, Sharp Shopper sells the same drink for just $0.99, a comparison that, while subject to change based on current deals, location, and availability, still makes the deal from Aldi, which is known for low prices, look far less impressive.

What about Trader Joe's, another well-known budget-friendly grocer? About 80% of the products sold at Trader Joe's are from its private label, allowing it to cut out middlemen and pass savings directly to customers (which is why Trader Joe's never offers discounts on its food). Even so, it cannot match Sharp Shopper's pricing — for instance, Sharp Shopper sells a pound of sliced Muenster cheese for $2.59, while Trader Joe's sells a 12-ounce pack of the same cheese for $4.49.

Sharp Shopper opened in 1988 in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, founded by Dennis and Bonnie Sharp. From the start, its mission has been to sell quality products at low prices while providing excellent customer service, all without requiring coupons, memberships, or loyalty cards.

Ownership of the chain passed to Mike and Darren Sharp in 2022. With six locations in Pennsylvania, three in Virginia, and a distribution center, Sharp Shopper has a much smaller footprint than the more than 600 locations of Trader Joe's or the more than 2,500 operated by Aldi. Despite this, it has built a strong presence in its local community.

Beyond low pricing, Sharp Shopper supports food-insecure families in the area and donates its space to host community yard sales, with proceeds from vendor fees going to local charities. If Sharp Shopper's ambitions were to grow beyond its current scale, its generous business model could benefit families across the country in more ways than one.