A month after a group led by Southeastern Grocers Inc. CEO Anthony Hucker bought the company and its supermarket brands Winn-Dixie and Harveys back from Aldi U.S., Hucker is giving few details about plans for the company.
However, Hucker said the company is developing ways to improve its 170 stores and expand the business founded a century ago.
“We are embarking on a transformational journey, and I have challenged our entire business to revolutionize the customer experience,” Hucker said in an emailed response to questions from the Jacksonville Daily Record March 14.
“This change means a reinvigorated shopping experience with expanded offerings, modern store formats and exciting announcements to come,” he said.
Aldi acquired Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers in March 2024 and said it would convert 220 Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores into Aldi supermarkets.
A group of private investors led by Hucker and C&S Wholesale Grocers, a long-time supplier to the company, announced Feb. 7 it acquired Southeastern Grocers and 170 remaining Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Hucker said Aldi is continuing with its conversion of those 220 stores, with Southeastern Grocers continuing to operate them as Winn-Dixie or Harveys stores until they are closed for conversion. That process is scheduled to conclude in 2027.
Neither Aldi or Southeastern Grocers has announced the locations of the stores that will be converted or will remain under Southeastern Grocers ownership.
“We will inform our associates first of those decisions as they are finalized, and as market conditions permit. Due to contractual obligations, we are unable to disclose information about which stores will convert at this time,” Hucker said.
Construction permits show five Jacksonville area stores are undergoing a conversion.
Hucker said Southeastern Grocers is considering expansion of its two chains.
“While our footprint is condensing to approximately 170 stores, Southeastern Grocers is focusing our resources on existing and new potential locations to enhance customer experiences and increase operational efficiency,” he said.
“We know that our success of the past several years was driven in part by spending the necessary capital to invest and remodel our store facilities, growing our liquor store business with additional locations and adding select new grocery store locations where we had the opportunity to do so within our footprint,” he said.
“Our plans provide for sufficient capital expenditures to be deployed to pursue these same investments going forward.”
Hucker said as a private company, Southeastern Grocers will not disclose any financial data, including its sales figures.
“I can confirm that we are a very healthy business,” he said.
History in Jacksonville
The company’s history traces back to the Davis family opening its first grocery store in Miami in 1925.
Its headquarters moved to Jacksonville in 1944 and after several name changes, it became Winn-Dixie in 1955 and was a significant Southeastern grocery chain for decades.
However, the company experienced turbulent times in the last 20 years.
Winn-Dixie filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2005 and when it emerged in 2007, the Davis family’s stake in the business was wiped out.
The company was acquired by grocery chain Bi-Lo LLC in 2011 but went through a second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018.
Under a prepackaged reorganization plan, the company now known as Southeastern Grocers emerged from bankruptcy with a group of investment firms owning the business.
Confident about potential
Despite the turbulence in recent years, Hucker said the new ownership group is confident about its potential.
“This exciting transition is backed by a private consortium of experienced retail leaders, who are united in optimism for our future. We share a common commitment to investment and growth in our company and fleet of stores – and together, with this strong foundation and deep expertise, we are positioned for long-term success,” he said.
Hucker said the company’s employee retention rate has been strong.
“Change, especially on a large scale, can bring feelings of uncertainty. We know that trust is progressively earned, and we are committed to being a business our associates and neighbors can always count on,” he said.
In response to questions about Southeastern Grocers’ Jacksonville headquarters and local presence, Hucker said the company is still evaluating its options.
“While we remain committed to maintaining the Winn-Dixie name and its historic, iconic legacy deeply rooted in the state of Florida, our leadership team is actively exploring the future of our Store Support Center,” he said.
“We have not made a definitive decision, as we are still evaluating various options. We will be sure to share more information in the coming months.”
Asked whether that indicated a potential decision to leave the Baymeadows headquarters or possibly Jacksonville, the company said "there is no additional information beyond what was already shared."