Business phone system for supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin
976 supermarkets and grocery stores operated in Wisconsin in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 976CBP 2023
- Employees
- 49,922mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 16.4U.S. 18.5
- State rank
- 18th of 51by count
Supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin by the numbers
County Business Patterns counts 976 establishments in Wisconsin classified as Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores (NAICS 445110) for 2023. They employed 49,922 people in mid-March and reported $1.2 billion in annual payroll. That is the 18th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Supermarkets and grocery stores make up 0.67% of the 144,774 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Wisconsin has 16.4 supermarkets and grocery stores, 11.5% below the national rate of 18.5. The average establishment has 51.1 employees against 44.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $24,873, 16.6% below the U.S. figure of $29,817.
| Measure | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 976 | 62,947 |
| Mid-March employees | 49,922 | 2,808,118 |
| Annual payroll | $1,241,718,000 | $83,729,007,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 51.1 | 44.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $24,873 | $29,817 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 16.4 | 18.5 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Supermarkets and grocery stores by metro area in Wisconsin
Census published grocery store counts for 29 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Wisconsin. The largest is Minneapolis, MN-WI, with 569 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 81% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | 569 | 31,904 | 15.1 |
| Milwaukee, WI | 296 | 13,932 | 18.8 |
| Madison, WI | 104 | 6,419 | 14.7 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 47 | 2,111 | 16.7 |
| Green Bay, WI | 46 | 3,078 | 13.7 |
| Racine, WI | 35 | 1,423 | 17.6 |
| Appleton, WI | 28 | 1,865 | 11.2 |
| Kenosha, WI | 26 | 1,355 | 15.4 |
| Janesville, WI | 25 | — | 15.1 |
| Wausau, WI | 25 | 1,079 | 18.0 |
| La Crosse, WI-MN | 23 | — | 13.5 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 21 | 945 | 17.7 |
| Oshkosh, WI | 19 | 1,526 | 11.0 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 18 | — | 10.2 |
| Baraboo, WI | 16 | 579 | 24.1 |
| Whitewater, WI | 15 | 874 | 14.1 |
| Marinette, WI-MI | 15 | 507 | 22.9 |
| Platteville, WI | 14 | 368 | 26.8 |
| Rice Lake, WI | 14 | 448 | 29.9 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | 13 | 985 | 12.5 |
| Watertown, WI | 13 | 573 | 15.1 |
| Beaver Dam, WI | 11 | 550 | 12.4 |
| Manitowoc, WI | 11 | 652 | 13.5 |
| Wisconsin Rapids, WI | 11 | 619 | 14.9 |
| Sparta, WI | 8 | 152 | 17.3 |
Top 25 of 29 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.
Team sizes at supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin
23.5% of Wisconsin's supermarkets and grocery stores with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 32.9% nationally. 33.3% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 229 | 23.5% | 32.9% |
| 5–9 employees | 96 | 9.8% | 10.3% |
| 10–19 employees | 141 | 14.5% | 11.9% |
| 20–49 employees | 147 | 15.1% | 13.9% |
| 50 or more employees | 362 | 37.1% | 31.0% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin
Independent grocers take calls about stock, deli and bakery orders, and departments need calls routed to them. Holiday orders bring call peaks.
A few of the calls that come in to supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin:
- A customer calls about hours.
- The store calls a customer when an order is ready.
- A supplier calls about a delivery.
When nobody can pick up
After-hours calls are mostly hours questions.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs a grocery store in Wisconsin
Supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin average 51.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 51-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 51 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $1,530.00 a month and 51 on Ooma Office Pro cost $1,272.45. On Callata the same 51 people cost $1,019.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $6,132. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $1,019.00 | $12,228.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $969.00 | $11,628.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $1,173.00 | $14,076.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $1,272.45 | $15,269.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $1,377.00 | $16,524.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $1,530.00 | $18,360.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has 8 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 608 | 785 | Central | 1955 | 353 |
| 715 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 534 |
| 920 | 785 | Central | 1997 | 274 |
| 262 | 634 | Central | 1999 | none |
| 414 | 552 | Central | 1947 | none |
| 534 | 98 | Central | 2010 | 715 |
| 274 | 29 | Central | 2023 | 920 |
| 353 | 13 | Central | 2023 | 608 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for supermarkets and grocery stores in Wisconsin
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Wisconsin, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many supermarkets and grocery stores are in Wisconsin?
976 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 49,922 people in mid-March.
Which Wisconsin metro area has the most supermarkets and grocery stores?
Minneapolis, MN-WI, with 569 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 51-person grocery store?
$1,530.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $1,272.45 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $1,019.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Wisconsin number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.