By Joel M. Albrizio, President

"Where Shopping & Working Is A Pleasure"

So can you imagine a supermarket, with it's slogan  "Where Shopping Is A Pleasure" and it's also a great place to work?

Wait a second, a pleasure to work at a supermarket?

Yes, that supermarket is named Publix. Great to it's customers and great to its employees. With its roots dating back to the 1930's, originally called "Food Palace" then later renamed Publix. This retail sensation began and still dominates Florida retail food along with many other states throughout the south.

Looking at Publix first as a supermarket you really come to respect all this is Publix.

A success story bred on a special pride in "Brand" second to none.

Publix was first to have, in store pharmacies, bakeries, piped in music, air conditioning, floral shops, ATM, free prescriptions to it's customers, cooking schools, valet parking in some locations and sushi bars just to name a few.

Publix was one of the first retailers to master online shopping.

With over 1,000 locations throughout the south its hard to find anything Publix isn't the innovator in regarding the retail food space.

A supermarket where the customer loves to shop and invites others to join in the shopping experience. "Word Of Mouth" the best advertising vehicle is the foundation of the...

"Publix Branding Mission".

Publix is green like Whole Foods, locations everywhere like Kroger, unique like Trader Joe's, a center store private label program with prices rivaling Walmart, bulk products like Costco, and great offers like build your own BOGO and service difficult to match even by much higher priced service driven retailers.

So now we have this incredible retailer with one of the finest perishable and prepared foods programs in the nation. All of this coupled with a center store value proposition in every aisle matching any big box retailer.

What else could anyone ask for?

How about an employee owned work environment where every employee has the opportunity to grow his or her own stock portfolio just by getting up in the morning, going to work and doing his or her job.

Can you imagine working for a company where the stock first offered to employees in the late 1950's at $2.50 was worth $23,200 today?

All for just going to work and making customers happy. Publix stock is offered to employees at a rate of 7-10% of their wages after qualifying.

When we look at the retail food space it is difficult to overlook Publix in any category. If you own or operate a supermarket you should be grateful if Publix is not on the list of local competition.

Thank-you for all of your support and ideas.