A look at the top chains: grocery headquarters examines the nation's top chains and takes a look at what will be needed for them to retain market position. (The 2003 State of the Industry Almanac).

Grocery Headquarters, April, 2003

WAL-MART

FUTURE OUTLOOK: It's no secret that aggressive expansion plans are one of the primary growth strategies for the nation's number one retailer. Despite the recession, or perhaps because of it, Wal-Mart is building 25 new Neighborhood Market units and more than 200 supercenters in 2003. Already present in almost every state, the company's plans for nine new distribution centers (six of which will be food) demonstrates Wal-Mart's intentions to penetrate new and existing markets even further over the coming months.

Future assortment strategies will likely include rapid expansion of its high-margin private label lines. Ben Ball, vice president at consulting firm Dechert-Hampe & Co., based in Mission Viejo, Calif., believes one of the key challenges for...