Publix Supermarkets to Expand Organic and Natural GreenWise Stores Across Southeast

Publix Supermarkets to Expand Organic and Natural GreenWise Stores Across Southeast
image via Wikimedia Commons

Publix, the leading supermarket chain in the Southeast with more than 1,200 stores throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas, will move its GreenWise natural grocery sets into more standalone stores, doubling its current roster, the company says.

The supermarket chain launched the in-house GreenWise brand in 2003 to meet the growing demand for organic and natural food products–in 2007 it opened its first concept market for the GreenWise brand in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, adding locations in Boca Raton and Tampa in 2008. Now, it’s set to take the markets into several more Florida neighborhoods and one in South Carolina within a year. Like the store’s GreenWise brand, the standalone markets will focus on the growing organic and natural market offerings made popular by Whole Foods Market.

“We learned a lot from the Publix GreenWise Market currently in Boca Raton and are excited to launch this new shopping destination,” Kevin Murphy, senior vice president of retail operations at Publix, told Supermarket News. “The new GreenWise Market concept features a simplified environment designed to show off our unique and house-made offerings. We believe our customers will appreciate our curated selection.”

According to Murphy, the new stores will lean heavily toward prepared foods like bowls and pizza, grab-and-go sushi, beverages, and other meal solutions. GreenWise expects some of its consumers to leave without any groceries in hand; coming instead for breakfast, lunch, or dinner meals.

GreenWise stores will also feature local craft beer and kombuchas on tap, or local wine offerings, taking yet another cue from Whole Foods, which outfits many of its stores with full-service restaurants and bars featuring local producers. The first new store is expected to open in Tallahassee, Florida, in October, with locations in Lakeland, Florida, and South Carolina slated for 2019.

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