Winco - new to AZ, what's good?

[DanaSD]

2 Wincos just opened in Arizona - are they worth the trip? Everyone keeps saying how cheap they are but how's the quality? I'm really trying to switch to more organic and less processed foods and for packaged foods at least those with less artificial ingredients, HFCS, transfats, etc. But at the same time I trying to trim our grocery budget.

What are they good for?
Any special brands that they carry?

[wallycat]

We had a Winco open in Bremerton, so we stopped on the way home from IKEA on Thursday.
Not sure if it is always like this, but it was a ZOO!!
They had some very decent prices on produce, but I wonder if that was simply for grand opening.
I mentioned to DH that I could not believe the square footage (yikes, bigger than the warehouse pick'nsave's in Wisconsin) and a tiny area for produce. How can there be that much processed/manufactured stuff .
I did not find their prices on things like mayo, cheese, etc. any better than local stores (and we only have 2 here).

[cakebaker]

I love Winco. The national brands are significantly cheaper than the major markets. For example a can of Lindsey olives runs about $ .90 as opposed to about $2.00 in the markets. We don't eat much processed foods either so I have no knowledge of frozen meals,packaged food. We do eat cereal & Winco is way cheaper than the markets. Butter is about $1.00 less a pound. Milk is the same as the majors. Produce is typically at or below the majors & I've never had any problem with quality. Cleaning products cheaper as well.
The big draw for me is their gigantic bulk foods section. Large variety-I got both buckwheat and barely flour and since I bake a lot of bread-whole wheat & whole grain in particular its the only place I can find bulk gluten and its around $.89 a pound where Bob's Red Mill gluten is $7.10 for a pound-or is it 12 ounce package. Honey which has gotten so expensive due to the bee virus is sold in bulk for l $3.89 per pound. The bulk section has reasonable prices on every kind of nut, candy, grain--they must have 10 varieties of rice alone--even bulk pet food & snacks.

[Valerie226]

I didn't like their produce section, and that's a big part of my shopping. wine selection was pathetic, awful. grocery items were priced well but I could not find most of what I wanted. so while the pricing was good, most of the things I needed they did not carry so I never went back. I'll pay a little more and get what I want.
they also had a very inefficient "bag it yourself" set up. I can't unload a cart, bag my stuff, and watch the checker all at once.

[Dawna]

We love Winco for canned items (tomatoes, beans, etc). In their deli section, their lunch meats are consistently several dollars cheaper per pound than at other stores. Non-grocery items (TP, trash bags, etc.) are also priced well.

I won't buy their produce. Have had a few bad experiences in that department.

My DH likes their bulk items. He tries something different each time we go. At our store, you have to wade through the bulk candy and cracker/snacks to get to the grains and spices/seasonings.

Milk, eggs, yogurt, butter, etc. also cost less than other local stores.

[Sugarbetty]

I live on the East coast now with no Winco in sight. However, I always bought Tillamook ice cream when I lived near a Winco. I LOVED their ice cream and their honey greek yogurt.

*Wishin' one were close and I would pick up some right now.