Southeastern Grocers to rebrand, focus on Florida, sell 40 stores
Southeastern Grocers LLC plans to reboot itself as a "brand new 100-year-old company" operating in Florida and Georgia.
The regional grocer, parent of the Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery store chains, is rebranding itself under one name — The Winn-Dixie Company — in early 2026. The move is part of a renewed focus on its home state of Florida that will see it transition ownership of most of its locations outside of the Sunshine State.
Southeastern Grocers has reached agreements or is advancing plans with multiple grocers, which include 32 Winn-Dixie stores and eight Harveys Supermarkets, in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The company will continue to operate in southern Georgia with stores in Brunswick, Folkston, Lake Park, St. Simons Island and Valdosta, Ga.
As part of its Florida growth strategy, Southeastern Grocers has also finalized an agreement to acquire Hitchcock’s Markets locations in Alachua, Keystone Heights and Williston, Fla. These stores will be converted to Winn-Dixie and opened in phases beginning with the new Williston Winn-Dixie in early December 2025, ahead of the scheduled closing of a nearby Williston Winn-Dixie.
Associates from the nearby Williston location will have the opportunity to continue working in the new store. The Alachua and Keystone Heights Winn-Dixie stores are slated to open by summer 2026. Store closings are expected to be completed by year-end, with all banner transitions anticipated by early 2026.
Following these transactions, The Winn-Dixie Company will move forward operating approximately 130 conventional grocery stores and 140 freestanding and grocery-adjacent liquor stores across Florida and southern Georgia.
In addition, dozens of remodels and new store projects are both planned and already underway, with upgrades designed to create inviting, community-centered stores.
The company is also expanding its liquor store portfolio with new formats, growing its own brand product assortment including the return of its Lip Lickin’ Chicken line in early 2026, and piloting new offerings such as third-party online grocery delivery via providers such as DoorDash and Amazon.
The business operations of Southeastern Grocers have been in flux for the past couple of years. In 2024, the company completed the divestiture of its Fresco y Más Hispanic supermarket chain to the Coral Gables, Fla.-based Fresco Retail Group, specializing in the food and grocery industries.
This move followed German grocery discounter Aldi expanding its U.S. presence by acquiring the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket divisions of Southeastern Grocers in 2023. A consortium of private investors then acquired Southeastern Grocers and its Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket banners from Aldi U.S. in early 2025.
[READ MORE: Aldi sells Winn-Dixie, Harveys stores to private investor group]
"For a century, Winn-Dixie has proudly called Florida home," said Anthony Hucker, chairman and CEO of Southeastern Grocers. "Our story is built on the resilience and spirit of its people, and that foundation will guide our future. As we enter our next century as The Winn-Dixie Company – a brand-new 100-year-old company – we are accelerating growth where our roots run deepest while staying true to our purpose of feeding and enriching the communities, families and neighbors who have supported us for generations."
