[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by boy3365

If they acquire Winn-Dixie, which was a big rumor a few years ago that ended up not being true, I hope they completely change the stores instead of keeping the names and running things behind the scenes like a few of those Kroger/Albertsons acquisitions. Given the capital investments they would have to undertake, they would probably be better off growing organically. That would, of course, mean the death of Winn-Dixie. While people view newcomers as a threat to Publix, the only chain that has been closing stores with the changing Florida grocery landscape has been Winn-Dixie.

If Winn-Dixie was in better shape and had more store locations, it could have been attractive for another supermarket that is doing well to acquire. Its future involves more stores closing and going extinct. I doubt Winn-Dixie will see its 100th anniversary in 2025.

Publix's further expansion in Florida is realistic. It has over 800 stores in the state. Expansion to 900 stores is doable. Is 1,000 stores possible? There are locations in Florida where Publix does not operate stores and Winn-Dixie does. That list of locations will shrink.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

High compared to what, conventional grocers? Anyone with any inkling of how food is produced knows the difference between the two. For those that don't, it's a lost cause anyway.

Whole Foods Market is a specialty organic grocer. It does not compete directly against supermarkets (i.e. Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walmart Neighborhood Market). Specialty organic grocers (i.e. Whole Foods Market, Trade Joe's, Earth Fare, GreenWise Market) have higher prices because of the products that are produced and how they are sold.

[tonyp22]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Anyone with any sense of the food scene in Florida could have predicted that before Kroger's investment. Name another state where "farmers markets" by and large have zero reputable farmers attending to sell their product. It couldn't be much more backward for expansion of an organic grocery store chain.

+2. I haven't yet moved to Florida but even with the near dozen trips I've made there I've noticed the sad state of the farmers markets - at least in the greater JAX and Orlando areas. It really surprised me. It's one of the things I have on my list to assess in my trips.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by tonyp22

+2. I haven't yet moved to Florida but even with the near dozen trips I've made there I've noticed the sad state of the farmers markets - at least in the greater JAX and Orlando areas. It really surprised me. It's one of the things I have on my list to assess in my trips.

Well, unfortunately, unless one lives in a city or town where there are actual nearby farms, the markets will be lacking. Also, a lot of people don't understand that Florida doesn't grow everything, and what does grow here has specific seasons, so a lot of stuff has to be brought in from elsewhere. Where I lived before (Sarasota) we had an awesome Amish run grocery which started as a produce and local foods market and expanded into grocery store. They always tried to stock local/organic if possible, and when not available brought in from nearby states, after that elsewhere. So that's the way it is. Some cities are better than others when it comes to these markets and what people want/expect. I have to say Sarasota/Manatee had a lot of GREAT options when it came to organic farms. good markets, local dairy, etc. I am now in Lakeland and discovering what is here. Lakeland has the Saturday market downtown which is OK, and a few farmstands open every day. Also there is a Lakeland organics which delivers which I haven't tried yet, but am going to.

Grow your own, if you can.

[boy3365]

Originally Posted by BillSmith0711

Kroger could potentially buy Earthfare as well, if they are looking to have an organic grocer in the Florida market, rumor is they are for sale.

Wow. If Kroger did that, that would like breaking up with one person and then dating their sibling. :-)

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

Whole Foods Market is a specialty organic grocer. It does not compete directly against supermarkets (i.e. Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walmart Neighborhood Market). Specialty organic grocers (i.e. Whole Foods Market, Trade Joe's, Earth Fare, GreenWise Market) have higher prices because of the products that are produced and how they are sold.

If that is the case, I find it interesting that Lucky's decided to build across from Publix locations, at least in metro Orlando, rather than Whole Foods and the other specialty stores, which tend to cluster around each other in Dr. Phillips and Winter Park first. However, unlike what Sprouts has done in Orlando so far, Lucky's actually acted according to its slogan of "Organic for the 99%" by not focusing on 1% neighborhoods.

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Well, unfortunately, unless one lives in a city or town where there are actual nearby farms, the markets will be lacking. Also, a lot of people don't understand that Florida doesn't grow everything, and what does grow here has specific seasons, so a lot of stuff has to be brought in from elsewhere.

According to the website below, a lot is grown here. I just heard that the state seems to export more than what it sells locally. I mean, it took the California romaine issue for Florida stores to carry Florida romaine lettuce. Fresh from Florida has been campaigning hard about buying Florida romaine. I didn't know it was a thing because I thought most of ours came from California. Publix removed 180 items from its shelves due to the scare, but everything seems normal again.

https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resou...rops-in-Season
https://www.miamiherald.com/living/f...237766584.html

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by boy3365

According to the website below, a lot is grown here. I just heard that the state seems to export more than what it sells locally. I mean, it took the California romaine issue for Florida stores to carry Florida romaine lettuce. Fresh from Florida has been campaigning hard about buying Florida romaine. I didn't know it was a thing because I thought most of ours came from California. Publix removed 180 items from its shelves due to the scare, but everything seems normal again.

https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resou...rops-in-Season
https://www.miamiherald.com/living/f...237766584.html

Florida is the second largest tomato-producing state after California, yet best of luck securing some from any of the grocery stores here.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Florida is the second largest tomato-producing state after California, yet best of luck securing some from any of the grocery stores here.

Kyle, can't you find them at Publix? Every Publix I have gone to has plenty of local tomatoes (when available) They are good, too! One brand is Tasti-Lee, I buy them all the time!

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Kyle, can't you find them at Publix? Every Publix I have gone to has plenty of local tomatoes (when available) They are good, too! One brand is Tasti-Lee, I buy them all the time!

Same here. There’s another brand I can’t quite think of that produces organic peppers and tomatoes. I believe they’re out of Port St Lucie or somewhere out there. Publix always has them when they’re in season.

[boy3365]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Florida is the second largest tomato-producing state after California, yet best of luck securing some from any of the grocery stores here.

Clemons Produce if you are ever in that area. But yeah, I didn't know Florida romaine was a thing until the California recall. I got blasted by Fresh from Florida ads on my social media feed over the holidays.

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Kyle, can't you find them at Publix? Every Publix I have gone to has plenty of local tomatoes (when available) They are good, too! One brand is Tasti-Lee, I buy them all the time!

Another one is Tasty Thyme, which makes the Red 'n Tasty vine-ripened tomatoes that are sold exclusively at Publix.

It looks like they're based out of the Tampa area.

https://www.tomatothyme.com/products

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

Same here. There’s another brand I can’t quite think of that produces organic peppers and tomatoes. I believe they’re out of Port St Lucie or somewhere out there. Publix always has them when they’re in season.

Pero Family Farms in Delray Beach?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pero_F...s_Food_Company

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Kyle, can't you find them at Publix? Every Publix I have gone to has plenty of local tomatoes (when available) They are good, too! One brand is Tasti-Lee, I buy them all the time!

Thanks for that! Our local Publix stores do a lousy job of signage for Florida grown and often when I do see them it's false advertising with the product clearly stickered from Mexico.