Grocery Store Tour for Vegans: Wegmans

Wegmans is a fairly new player in the Richmond market, migrating from up north. I have friends who grew up with Wegmans and swear they are the best grocery stores ever! I’ve found the stores to be very nice, however, a bit pricey for some items. They also lack a few brands of my favorites entirely, like Dave’s Killer Bread. However, the stores are beautiful and well organized.

The only one near me is in west Short Pump, but they have a second location south of the river. They have enough variety that this can be my primary shop, but I normally only make it out there every couple of months. Like Kroger, they also have a curbside pickup option. Delivery is also available. I have not utilized these services here, though!

What are my must-haves from Wegmans?

• Produce
  • Gorgeous produce, always. Lots of variety here. They have all of the exotic fruits you could want, all the fresh herbs, all the berries, all the kinds of potatoes, greens, etc. It’s all here!
  • Local produce. When in season, they feature locally grown goods.
  • Sprouts. One of the few places in town which carries them.
  • Prepared produce. They sell zoodles, cut butternut squash, etc. This trip, I picked up some store made salsas, including peach and pineapple mango salsas! You will pay a premium for this, though.

• Bakery bread
  • Their bakery is outstanding. And although they also have a couple of varieties of vegan cookies made in store, their breads steal the show. I love that you can buy half loaves so you can try different flavors without a huge commitment! Read the labels. Some kinds have honey. This trip, I picked up a rosemary sourdough and a garlic Tuscan, both half loaves.

• Bubba veggie burgers
  • In the freezer section. They carry all varieties. I keep these on hand for a quick meal. I love that you can easily recognize all the ingredients in the burger. And although I enjoy the new “vegan meat” burgers on occasion, I still prefer a veggie burger.

• Tofu/seitan/tempeh/vegan meats/cheese substitutes
  • This is a good place to explore these options. Wegmans has a section for this near the lunch meats and yogurts with a wide range of products and brands, including Beyond Meat and Kite Hill.
  • Wegmans has also started making their own line of frozen meat substitutes, and the feedback I’ve heard in my vegan social media groups has been very positive. This trip, I picked up some of their vegan “chicken” nuggets to try.
  • Gardein products are also sold here!
  • Dayia brand cheesecakes are also available here. Although the plain is not my favorite, the key lime is very good!

• Grains
  • Wegmans is one of the stores where I can consistently find Farro, but they also sell their store brand of rices, wild rice, couscous blends, etc., and all at good prices.

• Kombucha
  • If you want choices, Wegmans has the most variety in brands and flavors of any grocery chain I’ve seen except for Whole Foods. They even have a store brand that is tasty!

• Hard cider
  • Wegmans has more variety than any other store I frequent. They carry my favorite Bold Rock (usually getting the seasonal varieties before any other store), local favorite Buskey, Blue Toad, Ace, and Austin East. This visit, I picked up some Austin East pineapple.

• Vegan Pizza
  • For an affordable price, Wegmans bakes their own pizzas, and they recently added some vegan options.

Although Wegmans isn’t my primary grocery stop mainly because it’s so far away from my home, they do carry lots of great products that I can’t find in other stores, making it worth the drive from time to time. Store associates here are generally friendly, and the stores are very clean. I’m happy that they chose to enter the Richmond market.

UPDATE 6/16/22:

Wegmans now carries Dave’s Killer Bread!

They are also expanding their vegan brand selections and are making vegan/GF desserts that are delicious!

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Do you shop at Wegmans? If so, what are some of your favorite items here? As always, I hope you all are safe and healthy.