5 Grocery Chains That Sell Fresh Sushi

The convenience of sushi sold at grocery stores has grown over the last several years, with sales rising more than 70% between 2019 and 2023, per The Wall Street Journal. Some people may avoid it because it's not always easy to tell if you're eating cheap sushi. However, there are at least a handful of grocery chains that sell freshly made sushi in their stores.

From housemade sushi to sushi made and delivered daily, there are a variety of fresh options to choose from across Kroger, Whole Foods, Publix, Costco, and Albertsons Companies. Since these offerings aren't standard practice at every location, you should check your local stores before going. Most of them will have something about fresh sushi listed on each store's online details page, or you can always call ahead.

And, here's another tip if you're hesitant to indulge in grocery store sushi because it tastes a little different than restaurant sushi. The difference is largely due to refrigeration, which is required but can mute the flavor of the fish and harden the texture of the rice. You can get the best flavor and texture from store-bought sushi by letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before digging in. Now, without further ado, let's check out five grocery chains where you can get fresh sushi.

As "America's largest sushi retailer," Kroger has been selling fresh sushi in its stores since 1991 and reigns as the grocery store that sells the most sushi in the United States. More than 40 million sushi products roll out of its doors every year, and it has even celebrated International Sushi Day in the past with special deals and limited-time flavors.

Kroger chief marketing officer Stuart Aitken told The Wall Street Journal in 2023, "When customers think of sushi, we want them to think of Kroger." And, in a 2024 press release, Kroger's group vice president of Fresh Merchandising, Dan De La Rosa, said, "No matter how you find your favorites or explore innovative new rolls, Kroger's fresh selection of sushi is specially prepared by chefs in our stores each day, promising restaurant-quality rolls at an everyday low price."

Although the fresh sushi is only available in participating neighborhood stores between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., a wide assortment is available, including cooked and raw rolls, nigiri and onigiri, and poke bowls. Don't know where to start? "The California Crunch roll is our most popular cooked sushi roll, and the Rainbow Roll is the most popular raw sushi roll," a Kroger spokesperson told Business Insider.

Despite Kroger being the biggest retailer of sushi, a 2023 Mashed survey of 639 people from across the country found that only 18.62% of the participants shopped for sushi at the grocer. Whole Foods turned out to be the preferred choice for 46.95% of the respondents. Customers get to select from an assortment of cooked, raw, and nigiri rolls, as well as sashimi, poke bowls, and sets that include a variety of sushi types with condiments. Among shoppers' favorites are the California, spicy lava, and spicy salmon avocado rolls.

One reason the grocery chain has become popular might be because "all sushi sold in our stores is made fresh daily by a trained team of sushi chefs," Whole Foods' principal program manager for sushi, Mindy Hauge, told Food & Wine. The chefs are often seen behind the counter making the rolls and other items. In some markets, though, the chain partners with local providers, such as Sushi Avenue and Genji Sushi, to provide fresh, made-daily sushi to its locations.

In either case, Whole Foods follows strict standards to ensure that its sushi products are of high quality. This includes banning more than 300 ingredients, such as high-fructose corn syrup and many preservatives, and adhering to responsible and sustainable sourcing guidelines.

When it came to Daily Meal's ultimate ranking of grocery store sushi, Publix beat nine other chains to take the top spot. We liked the wider variety of sushi items available — rolls, nigiri, and samplers of all kinds — and the balance of sweet, salty, and vinegar in the rice compared to other stores. Plus, we found that the chain's portions of pickled ginger and wasabi were more generous by comparison.

Some of the best-selling sushi options at Publix include the California, crunchy, spicy salmon, and cream cheese rolls. It seems that the chain mainly partners with ZENSHI Handcrafted Sushi (formerly branded as AFC Sushi) for all of its sushi needs. This company actually has trained chefs in Publix stores, and you can often see them behind the counter making fresh sushi every day. As of early 2025, it had expanded its grocery presence to more than 3,000 locations (and counting) around the United States.

Also, Publix might be the best place to go if you're looking for a good deal on fresh sushi. Every Wednesday, a selection of its items is only $5 each. The deal even includes products that are made with high-quality ingredients, not just the cheap ones with imitation crab. However, all of the sushi at Publix is perfect for snacking on the go or taking home for a family dinner. You can use the ZENSHI store locator to find out if its fresh sushi is in your local Publix.

In 2023, Costco caused quite the stir with its new and improved sushi counter, which was based on the success the warehouse chain had with such an offering in its locations in Hawaii, Japan, and South Korea. That first continental U.S. sushi counter was initially opened only in Issaquah, Washington, rolling out Kirkland Signature-branded, housemade sushi just across the street from the company's headquarters. While choosing from the variety of rolls, poke bowls, and more in the refrigerated case, shoppers could watch the chefs at work behind the counter, making the food fresh.

During a March 2024 earnings call, Costco chief financial officer Richard Galanti said (per Today), "The sushi program has proven to be a category where we can be successful in both quality and price, and we're looking forward to seeing more of that in the future." Shoppers have mostly agreed that, although it's not the same as restaurant sushi, the fresh Kirkland Signature sushi is tasty and a good value.

Unfortunately, it's a little difficult to tell which Costco locations have a sushi counter because the warehouse retailer hasn't officially indicated which stores have one yet. The expansion may also be slow because the stores need quite a bit of space for the rice room, sushi-making area, and refrigerated case. So, even when a specific store page lists "Fresh Sushi" as a specialty item, it could just mean that they have fresh, pre-packaged sushi from a third-party vendor like Snowfox. Because of that, calling your local store is the best way to find out what kind of fresh sushi is available.

Albertsons Companies has been partnering with companies like Ace Sushi, Yummi Sushi, and ZENSHI Handcrafted Sushi for many years to provide fresh sushi products under several of its company banners, including Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Safeway, and Vons. Among the variety of fresh options are cooked and raw rolls, hybrid platters and trays, nigiri, onigiri, sashimi, and poke bowls. Whether you're shopping at Albertsons or shopping at Safeway, it's beneficial to keep in mind that customers are mixed about the fresh sushi at these grocers, but it seems like the consensus leans more positive than negative. The chef behind the counter seems to be the defining aspect, with some people on Reddit raving that their local chef is excellent.

Also, the positive reviews may be, in part, due to Albertsons Companies aligning its prepared sushi with its Responsible Seafood Policy. The food and drug retailer initiated the switch in 2018 and completed it by mid-2021. At the time, group vice president of bakery and deli food service Jewel Hunt said in a press release, "We owe it to our customers to make sure each and every product is of the highest quality, and at Albertsons Companies, that includes offering seafood from environmentally responsible sources. We are thrilled to be achieving our Sushi Commitment early, and look forward to sharing more on our progress across the rest of our seafood portfolio in the coming months."

Daily Meal and Mashed are both owned and operated by Static Media.