11_Trader Joe’s

Though Trader Joe’s masquerades as a neighborhood store, it boasts $8 billion in annual profits. Its stores carry 4,000 different products, compared to typical grocery stores’ 50,000. This meticulous stocking helps it sell $1,750 per square foot–twice as much as Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s brand-name products offer low prices and “pizzazz beyond plain old corn flakes,” says analyst Bob Goldin. It’s a company that manages to borrow from the best of its competitors, with more than 350 stores compared to Whole Foods’ 300.