Publix to Host Event Planning Services

CHRISTINE BLANK

LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix Super Markets here aims to boost sales of its deli party trays, wine and other holiday entertaining products this season, with a new website, along with a free, new, in-store event-planning service.

“Just in time for the holidays, customers can find ways to save time on planning parties and family gatherings,” said Dwaine Stevens, media and community relations manager for Publix.

“We developed a portion of our website around food and entertaining, because we have many products available to assist our customers with entertaining.”

Publix's new event-planning site, www.publix.com/entertaining, is designed to help shoppers plan parties and to sell related products and services, not only during the holidays but throughout the year.

The site includes a “Plan Event & Menu” section, which provides party themes and suggested menus, along with decorations and activities to go along with the themes.

All of Publix's entertaining foods are displayed by serving course, which allows visitors to create shopping lists for selected appetizers, main courses, sides and desserts.

In addition, an interactive “My Planning List” tool allows customers to create their party plans and menus. The printed list can then be given to the store to place an order or used when calling in their order.

“We have not had menu planning online before, but expect it to be very popular,” Stevens said.

Another primary feature of the site is Publix's relatively new Apron's Event Planning service, available at a handful of stores in Florida and Georgia.

With the service, an in-store event-planning specialist sits down with shoppers and helps them plan occasions, from holiday parties to wedding receptions. The planners — whose advice is free to those ordering food at Publix — can provide tips on everything from food-and-wine combinations to making proper toasts.

Shoppers can also place their food order for the event, allow Publix to shop for them, and schedule pickup for their order, which may include items from a few different departments.

“This helps our customers have a more complete and stress-free event,” Stevens said.

Six Publix stores feature an in-store event planner: Alpharetta, Ga.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Sarasota, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; and its new GreenWise Market store in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

The new website and in-store event planning is an extension of Publix's focus on providing meal solutions, Stevens said. Publix has been consistently expanding its Apron's meal solutions program since it was formed in 2000.

The Apron's program features hundreds of meal recipes that are available at 560 in-store kiosks, along with in-store cooking demos. Publix also helps customers make the Apron's recipes at its Apron's cooking schools, which are currently in three of its Florida stores, with plans to expand.

Publix also expanded the Apron's program this fall to include the popular meal-assembly trend. The Apron's Make-Ahead Meals program lets customers assemble their own dinners from ingredient stations at one of its stores in Jacksonville.

Or customers can take part in the Apron's Make-Ahead Meals To Go program, in which they can purchase preassembled meals for an additional fee at www.publixmakemeals.com.

“We believe in addressing the needs of busy families, by offering fresh, quality products and expanding our meal-solution options,” Stevens said.

At Publix's Jacksonville store on San Jose Boulevard, customers can build their dinners from ready-to-cook ingredients at meal-assembly stations. A stand-alone meal-assembly store, which will be called Publix Make-Ahead Meals, is slated to open in Lithia, Fla., in 2008.

Shoppers sign up for the meal-assembly program on the Make-Ahead Meals website. Then they choose their monthly meals — sold in packages of six ($119.99), eight ($144.99) or 12 ($199.99) — from 14 meal options.