Rochester-based grocery chain Wegmans Food Markets has taken the top ranking in Harris Poll’s Reputation Quotient survey, the company announced earlier this month.

Wegmans beat out 99 other companies, including heavy hitters such as Amazon.com, Apple and Target, with an RQ score of 84.36. This marks Wegmans’ debut on the RQ list, which previously featured only 60 companies.

“We’re ecstatic,” said Evelyn Carter, consumer affairs manager for Wegmans’ Syracuse-area dealings. “For this to be our first time being a part of the poll and getting no. 1 is a great feeling.”

Harris Poll conducted an online survey of 27,278 respondents late last year, asking them to rate six facets of each company’s corporate reputation: emotional appeal, financial performance, products and services, social responsibility, vision and leadership, and workplace environment.

“Wegmans was the only company to rank in the top five on all six reputation dimensions,” Wegmans said in a release about the RQ findings.

“To be recognized in this way is just incredible,” CEO Danny Wegman said in the release. “It always starts with our people, who thrill our customers every day and extend a family feeling in our stores across six states.”

Carter echoed that sentiment.

“The way we treat our employees and [care] for their well-being translates to the way they treat their customers,” she said. “There’s no formula. If we take care of our employees, our employees will take care of our customers. That guiding principle has served us well.”

Carter credited Wegmans’ flexible scheduling, competitive pay, benefits and other employee support services with the company’s positive reputation.

One benefit Carter mentioned was Wegmans’ treatment of its employees in times of loss. She said if an employee loses a family member, Wegmans offers food packages, transportation and more until the employee can return to work.

Carter said she hopes the Harris Poll accolade will increase customer loyalty to Wegmans.

“Wegmans has spent years building a sterling reputation in the communities they serve, through its employees, one shopping experience at a time,” said Carol M. Gestalder, Reputation and Public Relations Practice Leader for Harris Poll.

Founded in 1916, Wegmans has 85 stores along the East Coast. For the past 17 years, Wegmans has appeared on Fortune magazine’s “Best 100 Companies to Work For,” ranking 12th on the list in 2014.

Ashley M. Casey is a reporter for Eagle newspapers. She can be reached at [email protected].