Publix

After leaving Piggly Wiggly, George W. JenkinsGeorge W. JenkinsGeorge W. Jenkins (1907–1996) founded the US supermarket company Publix and promoted employee ownership and community philanthropy.Open the full entry opened Publix Food Store in Winter Haven, Florida. A second store followed in the same town in 1935.⁠[2]

Jenkins closed the two earlier food stores and opened the first Publix Super Market, equipped with air conditioning, fluorescent lighting and automatic electric-eye doors.⁠[2]

Publix acquired a warehouse and 19 All American food stores from Lakeland Grocery Company, then progressively replaced the smaller locations with larger supermarkets.⁠[2]

A 125,000-square-foot warehouse and headquarters complex was completed in Lakeland to support store construction and supply. The chain had 24 stores that year.⁠[3]

The National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) dates Publix’s ESOP to 1974. The company’s historical timeline describes profit sharing and employee ownership arrangements in its early years during the 1930s.⁠[4][3]

Publix launched its Presto! ATM network. Its official timeline also places the first Publix pharmacy in an Orlando store in the mid-1980s.⁠[3]

Publix opened in Savannah, Georgia, its first expansion outside Florida. South Carolina followed in 1993, Alabama in 1996 and Tennessee in 2002.⁠[3]

According to the EEOC’s historical account, Publix agreed to an $81.5 million settlement of litigation alleging discrimination against women in job assignments and promotions. It provided back pay for current and former female employees in four southern states and future advancement opportunities.⁠[5]

Publix opened its first North Carolina stores in the Greater Charlotte area in 2014. Its first Virginia store opened in Glen Allen in July 2017.⁠[3]

Under the succession plan announced in November 2023, President Kevin Murphy became CEO, Todd Jones became executive chairman and John Goff became president.⁠[6]

Publix opened its first Kentucky store at Terra Crossing in Louisville, bringing its footprint to eight states. It included a pharmacy, while the adjacent Publix Liquors became the brand’s first location outside Florida.⁠[7]

NCEO’s October 2025 list ranked Publix first among large US employee-owned companies, recording approximately 260,000 employees. The ranking measures size by workforce rather than revenue.⁠[4]

For the fiscal year ended December 27, 2025, Publix reported approximately $62.7 billion in sales, up 5.0%, and $4.7 billion in net earnings. It ended the year with 1,432 supermarkets.⁠[1]

In its May 4 announcement, Publix said Todd Jones would retire as executive chairman effective May 31 and continue serving as chairman of the board.⁠[8]

For the quarter ended June 27, sales were approximately $15.7 billion, up 1.0%, while comparable-store sales fell 0.5%. Net earnings were about $1.7 billion, or $1.1 billion on a non-GAAP basis excluding unrealized equity investment gains. The company attributed sales pressure partly to drug-pricing changes and consumer conditions.⁠[9]

Publix opened its tenth Kentucky store in Florence and said it had announced plans for 16 additional locations. Those additional sites were planned locations at the time.⁠[10]

Publix’s PROFIT Plan is an ESOP that provides stock to eligible employees at no cost. The SMART Plan is a 401(k) arrangement with employee contributions and company matching, while the employee stock purchase plan permits additional purchases. Its 2020 explanation sets out distinct eligibility and vesting requirements; stock allocations do not mean immediate full ownership of all benefits upon hiring.⁠[11]

The 2026 proxy statement reported the ESOP and 401(k) plan holding 20.93% and 8.66% of shares, respectively, as of February 3. Those plan percentages are distinct from shares held directly by current and former employees. Publix shares are not publicly traded; its August 2026 release restricted company stock sales to current employees and directors.⁠[12][9]

When checked on October 13, 2026, Publix’s official facts page listed 1,446 stores in eight states and more than 260,000 employees. That current count refers to a different date from the 1,432 stores reported at fiscal year-end 2025.⁠[13][1]

Publix: Official website: https://www.publix.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[14]

Publix corporate information: Official website: https://corporate.publix.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[14]

Publix stockholder information: Official website: https://www.publixstockholder.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[12]

Publix X: Official account: https://x.com/Publix (opens in a new window).⁠[14]

Publix LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: Official account: https://www.linkedin.com/company/publix-super-markets/ (opens in a new window).⁠[15]

Publix YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Official account: https://www.youtube.com/@Publix (opens in a new window).⁠[16]