Saturday, March 1, 2025

Publix's Rise To Success: A Story Of Entrepreneurship And Innovation

Staff inbox at USA TODAY:

Publix's Rise to Success: A Story of Entrepreneurship and Innovation The Publix Super Markets Inc. has become a household name in Florida, with its 240,000 employees spread across seven states. The company's success is a testament to the vision and leadership of its founder, known as "Mr. George" Jenkins. Jenkins, a Georgia native, moved to Ybor City in Tampa and worked for the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain before founding Publix nearly a century ago. The company's humble beginnings marked the beginning of a remarkable journey that would make Publix one of the most successful homegrown enterprises in the state.

Under Mr. Jenkins' guidance, Publix expanded its operations and became a beloved institution in Florida. The company's commitment to quality and customer service has earned it a reputation as one of the best places to work... with numerous accolades on lists of top companies to work for. However, Publix's success has not been without controversy.

The company's decision to insist on bagging groceries in plastic has drawn criticism from some consumers. Despite this, the company's popularity endures, "with its products," "such as its subs and BOGOs.".. becoming a staple of the colloquial culture.

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Publix is a supermarket chain founded by George Jenkins, a Georgia native who moved to Ybor City in Tampa and worked for Piggly Wiggly before establishing the company nearly a century ago. Publix is now a Lakeland-based, employee-owned company with more than 240,000 people on its payroll and operates in seven states.

The company's success has contributed to Florida's reputation as a major tourist destination, with Central Florida becoming a theme park metropolis thanks to Walt Disney's decision to build a park in the area. Other major attractions, such as Universal Studios and Sea World, "have also been established.".. making Florida the world's biggest tourism magnet.

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The founder of the Publix supermarket chain was known as "Mr. George." Jenkins established the supermarket chain that is arguably the state's most popular and successful homegrown enterprise — and which now operates in seven other states. That's impressive in Florida, a state not known for spawning corporate headquarters.
In fact, in 2023 the state had fewer Fortune 500 companies based within its boundaries than California, New York and Texas. Today, the Lakeland-based, employee-owned company has more than 240,000 people on its payroll. That the company is a perennial favorite on lists of best companies to work for speaks to its widespread popularity, although it has drawn pushback as pricey and for policies like insisting on bagging in plastic.
More importantly, you know a company is important when its products enter the colloquial arena, like Pub subs and BOGOs. A Georgia native, Jenkins moved to Ybor City in Tampa and worked for another grocery chain, Piggly Wiggly, before founding Publix nearly a century ago.
We could have picked his nephew Roy Disney or former CEO Michael Eisner. The two parlayed the company's initial properties, the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian and Contemporary hotels, into a global tourism mecca we enjoy today. But it was Walt Disney's decision to build a park in Central Florida that ultimately transformed the state from a beach resort to a theme park metropolis.
Today, it's not just the Disney Co.'s four theme parks, other attractions and tens of thousands of hotel rooms. Universal Studios has built three parks and is about to add a massive fourth, Epic Universe. Together, along with Sea World and other draws, Central Florida is a reason Florida is arguably the world's biggest tourism magnet.
And like World War II three decades before, Disney World didn't just attract tourists after it opened in 1971. It helped convince them to move, spurring another wave of migrations. At one point, a couple thousand people were moving to Florida each day, and their introduction to the state via a visit to the Disney kingdom was a major reason why.

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