Its name has been on every food director's lips in the past 12 months and it's a must-see on any visit to the US. Now Whole Foods Market has topped The Grocer's World's Greatest Food Retailers list for the second year running.

It is yet to open its first UK store, but the £3bn company was the unanimous winner of our second annual poll. Our Academy of Experts were lavish in their praise for the 189-store chain. "This is the future," said Spar MD Jerry Marwood while WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell said: "Simply the best merchandised anywhere."

This year's ranking is bigger and better than before, with retailers from 14 countries singled out as the best in the world. New entrants include Valvona & Crolla, Les Galeries Lafayette, Julius Meinl, Fratelli Ciapponi, The Ginger Pig and David Jones Food Hall in Sydney. British and US retailers come out well, with names like Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Dean & Deluca and Trader Joe's in our list of 25 global leaders. But last year's number one UK performer, Waitrose, has been knocked off the top spot by regional player Booths. The north west retailer beat some of the biggest names in the world to come in second overall in our ranking, thanks to the quality of its offering, local sourcing policy and innovation.

And it's not just supermarkets that make it into our list. The Ginger Pig is a London butcher.

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