Southeastern Grocers Continues Florida Expansion Into 2023

On the heels of opening its first new store of 2022—a Winn-Dixie in Westlake, Fla.—Southeastern Grocers (SEG) announced plans to continue its Florida expansion into 2023.

Earlier in March, the Winn-Dixie store opened at 5060 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road in Westlake, and later next year, SEG will open a new North Florida Winn-Dixie, located at 999 University Blvd. in Jacksonville, to provide College Park customers with unique, personalized shopping experiences, the Jacksonville-based grocer said, adding that it will use a specialized approach to provide fresh concepts and extensive offerings for local community members.

“We are always looking to better serve our customers, and the new College Park Winn-Dixie store presents an exciting opportunity for us to expand in our hometown,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, in a statement. “We plan to make a significant investment in the new store and provide more than 100 job opportunities to enrich the revitalization of the Arlington community and ensure our new customers receive remarkable service.”

With inflation hitting a 40-year record high, Winn Dixie’s "Down Down" program is just one of the ways the company is offering relief on rising grocery prices. The company said the program offers deeper discounts on more than 150 most-shopped items marked in-store by the red hand on signs and tags.

“At Winn-Dixie, we know our customers are searching for the best deals and continuing to save money on their grocery bills is a top priority,” said Dewayne Rabon, chief merchandising officer for SEG. “Through our commitment to lowering prices and keeping them down on the items our customers love most, we hope to make a truly meaningful difference in our customers’ lives. When our customers shop our stores, they can trust they are getting quality products at affordable prices.”

Branching out its Winn-Dixie offerings, last September, the grocer opened a new liquor-store concept called WDs Wine, Beer & Liquor, located at 4472 Hendricks Ave. in the Miramar Center shopping plaza in Jacksonville. The store features a beer cave with more than 500 beer varieties, including 73 Florida beers; more than 1,400 spirits; and more than 1,700 wine offerings, including 700 imported labels.

"The new WDs concept is our latest opportunity to deliver exceptional service to our North Florida neighbors as we continue our growth throughout the state of Florida," Hucker said in a statement.

Founded in 1925, Winn-Dixie grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serve communities throughout five southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. is a subsidiary of Southeastern Grocers, which is one of the largest supermarket chains based in the Southeast. Southeastern Grocers Inc. is also parent company and home of Fresco y Mas and Harveys Supermarket.