Publix is rebranding some stores, including a new one in Fort Lauderdale. What to know
Goodbye, GreenWise.
Publix has confirmed that it plans to convert its specialty markets into regular grocery stores.
The Lakeland-based chain will rebrand its eight GreenWise Market locations, spokesperson Hannah Herring told the Tampa Bay Times.
“Our customers’ shopping habits have reinforced that they enjoy the attributes of a Publix GreenWise Market location, but within their traditional Publix shopping setting,” Herring said.
The company’s decision means that the GreenWise Market in downtown Fort Lauderdale, opened in 2021, will eventually be rebranded as a Publix store. The only other GreenWise Market in South Florida is in Boca Raton in southern Palm Beach County.
The decision to phase out the GreenWise Market, which specializes in organic, artisan and healthier options — and looks a bit like Whole Foods Market — won’t affect the GreenWise label on Publix products on supermarket shelves.
What to know about the change:
What is happening to GreenWise Market?
Publix plans: The specialty markets, about half the size of a regular Publix, will change into regular stores. Company officials did not give a time frame for the switching. But even with the transition, not everything you find iin a GreenWise will go away. Recent Publix openings have included specialty departments found in GreenWise markets such as beer and wine on tap, a coffee bar with cold brew, along with gourmet and organic food. So this may feel more like a merger than a complete change. But expect the addition of more traditional items found in grocery stores, like a variety of brands as well as more of a focus on household goods.
Reason for the change: Publix didn’t commit enough to the brand, food industry analyst Phil Lempert. told the Tampa Bay Times.
Impact: “With only eight locations, GreenWise accounted for a fraction of Publix’s larger footprint of roughly 1,300 stores,” according to industry newsletter Grocery Dive. “But its utility as a testing lab for new concepts far outweighed its size..”
Beginnings: Publix rolled out GreenWise Market in 2007 to take on competitors specializing in natural and organic products such as Whole Foods Market, according to Grocery Dive.
Customers: GreenWise generated more foot traffic year-over-year while visits to Publix’s traditional stores declined, according to an analysis firm Placer.ai, which also reported shoppers stay longer at GreenWise stores than traditional markets.
Where is the Fort Lauderdale GreenWise Market?
Address: 255 SE Third Ave.
Where are the other GreenWise markets in Florida?
Boca Raton: 8210 Glades Rd.
Miami-Dade: No locations.
Florida: Locations in Tampa, Tallahassee, Ponte Vedra, Lakeland, Odessa.
What are GreenWise markets like?
Stock: Publix has been experimenting with GreenWise markets for more than 10 years. The specialty store sells organic and gourmet groceries, natural personal care products, cheese, olives, cured meats. There’s also beer on tap, wine, kombucha. There’s also freshly made food including bowls, sandwiches and pizza. And yes, there are Pub Subs and BOGOs, according to the company. The stores are about half the size as the typical Publix market. GreenWise is divided into the following categories:
▪ Cares - Vitamins, nutritional supplements, natural soaps and shampoos
▪ Cuts - Meat with no antibiotics or added hormones, sustainably sourced seafood
▪ Eats - Made-to-order meals and grab-and-go foods including sandwiches and pizza
▪ Finds - Curated selection of wines and imported cheeses
▪ Pours - Beverage area featuring coffee, wine and beer on tap
