Supermarket chains are racing furiously to open new locations in order to remain ahead of mergers, jostling at the starting block and erupting onto the track.
To take more money out of customers’ wallets, they are also introducing more incentives like BOGOs, discount rates, in-store cafes, and membership delivery services.
Opening more locations is one strategy Lakeland-based Publix, the dominating supermarket company in Florida that will celebrate its 100th anniversary in little over five years, plans to use to keep one step ahead of its fierce rivals.
According to spokeswoman Lindsey Willis, Publix is opening four new locations in Florida in April.
The first of the openings is a new store that is almost 40,000 square feet and was unveiled on Thursday at the Valencia Center in Homestead. Adjacent to the new Publix in South Miami-Dade is a booze store.
As merger activity attracted customers’ attention in 2023, the pace accelerated:
- According to industry watcher Grocery Dive, between January and September, Publix opened 33 shops, including nine replacements. In Florida, the network has around 800 stores.
- Based in Jacksonville With over 450 locations, Winn-Dixie has long been Publix’s main traditional opponent in the state.
- Aldi is a fast-growing bargain grocery store with over 215 locations throughout the state.
Last year, Winn-Dixie’s acquisition by bargain grocery store Aldi was announced at the same time. The agreement was completed in March. Aldi stated that the consequences will be revealed later this year, including how many Winn-Dixies will switch to the Aldi brand.
Publix doesn’t hold back.
The grocery shop, which derived its name from a series of movie theaters in 1930, launched five new locations in January and February of this year, one of the largest on its list of 1,373 markets spread across eight states in the Southeast.
On opening day on February 15, Key Largo Publix spokeswoman Hannah Herring told that the store was 64,000 square feet. The 48,000-square-foot Publix that was located at Tradewinds Plaza off the Overseas Highway was replaced in 1989 with the current location.
Publix built three new locations in Florida in March: two in Orlando and one in Parrish. The company also added one each in Georgia and Tennessee, for a total of five locations.
Some of the upcoming Publix markets are listed below:
Homestead Publix
- Address: Opening early on April 4, the new 39,600-square-foot Publix at Valencia Center, 1220 E. Palm Dr., is now open.
- Inside: This Publix in Homestead features a full-service bakery and deli in addition to the typical sections for dairy, frozen foods, seafood, meat, and fresh vegetables. This Publix offers full-service pharmaceutical services. There is a Publix Liquors that sells wine and spirits next to the new location.
- Timings: from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday via Sunday.
- Weekday hours for the pharmacy are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Additional April openings in Florida
In April, three more Publix supermarkets will open in Florida:
- On Thursday, April 11, Publix will open at Wellington Green Square, 10640 Forest Hill Blvd. in Wellington. According to Willis, this business is just over 38,000 square feet.
- On Thursday, April 18, Publix will open in The Shoppes at Verdana Village, 19050 Corkscrew Rd. in Estero. Just over 48,000 square feet make up this business.
- The Addison Center at Viera, located at 7655 Stadium Pkwy. near Melbourne, will host a Publix store that spans over 48,000 square feet when it opens on April 18.
