Mollie Stone's vs Country Sun in Palo Alto: The $2.90 Chocolate Chip Gap
Two Premium Stores, One Surprising Price Map
Palo Alto doesn't do budget grocery shopping. But even among the city's upscale options, the price gaps between Mollie Stone's and Country Sun are wider than you'd expect. We compared hundreds of prices from both stores and found that which store saves you money depends entirely on what you're buying.
Bonne Maman Preserves: Mollie Stone's Wins by $2.40 a Jar
The biggest consistent gap we found is on Bonne Maman preserves. Across four flavors, Mollie Stone's beats Country Sun by $2.40 per jar — that's a 40% markup at the natural foods store.
| Product | Mollie Stone's | Country Sun | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry Preserves (Bonne Maman) | $5.99 | $8.39 | $2.40 |
| Peach Preserves (Bonne Maman) | $5.99 | $8.39 | $2.40 |
| Four Fruits Preserves (Bonne Maman) | $5.99 | $8.39 | $2.40 |
| Raspberry Preserves (Bonne Maman) | $5.99 | $8.39 | $2.40 |
If you buy all four, that's $9.60 saved at Mollie Stone's. That's nearly enough for two more jars.
Guittard Chocolate Chips: Country Sun Strikes Back
But Country Sun has its own wins. Guittard chocolate chips — both the Milk Chocolate Baking Chips and Extra Dark Chocolate Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips — are $9.79 at Country Sun vs $12.69 at Mollie Stone's. That's a $2.90 gap per bag — the single largest price difference we found between the two stores.
St. Dalfour vs Bonne Maman: The Spread Paradox
Here's where it gets interesting. While Mollie Stone's crushes it on Bonne Maman, the opposite is true for St. Dalfour fruit spreads:
- Heritage Peach Fruit Spread (St. Dalfour): $6.99 at Country Sun vs $7.99 at Mollie Stone's
- Strawberry Fruit Spread (St. Dalfour): $6.99 at Country Sun vs $7.99 at Mollie Stone's
So if you're a St. Dalfour fan, Country Sun saves you $1.00 per jar. If you prefer Bonne Maman, Mollie Stone's saves you $2.40. Brand loyalty determines which store is cheaper.
The Premium Shelf: Maple Syrup and Beyond
Mollie Stone's also wins on maple syrup: Shady Maple Farms Organic Maple Syrup (375 mL) is $19.99 vs $21.99 at Country Sun. And if you're feeling extravagant, Mollie Stone's carries WhistlePig Maple Syrup at $35.99 for 375 mL — that's $96/L, one of the priciest condiments in our data.
On the specialty food front, Mollie Stone's carries Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp at $15.99 (6 oz), while Country Sun stocks a deep selection of artisan yogurts — Clover Sonoma Blueberry Low-fat Yogurt at $1.79 is among the most affordable items in either store.
Bottom Line
Neither store is universally cheaper. Based on the prices in our data as of early 2026:
- Go to Mollie Stone's for Bonne Maman preserves ($5.99 vs $8.39), maple syrup, and Smash Foods spreads.
- Go to Country Sun for Guittard chocolate chips ($9.79 vs $12.69), St. Dalfour fruit spreads, and artisan yogurt.
The takeaway? In Palo Alto's premium grocery scene, knowing which brands are cheaper where can save you $10+ on a single shopping trip.
Help Build Palo Alto's Price Database
This analysis is based on community-submitted prices from 3 stores across 3 chains in Palo Alto (including Country Sun, Mollie Stone's, Real Produce International Market). The more prices our community submits, the more complete and accurate these comparisons become.
This comparison only scratches the surface. We tracked prices from two stores — imagine what the picture looks like with data from every grocery aisle in Palo Alto. Every price you add helps your neighbors make smarter choices. Download PriceHive, snap a price tag at your local store, and start contributing to Palo Alto's most useful grocery resource.