South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
GreenWise is coming, but where will it be?
Shoppers are wondering what Publix plans to do with the old Safeway location on East Commercial Boulevard in Oakland Park.
As I reported in June, Publix acquired the only Safeway stores in Florida in Oakland Park, Altamonte Springs and Largo. They were closed in late August to be reopened under the Publix banner by the end of the year.
Reader Cheryl Woda emailed me, saying she heard talk that a Publix GreenWise would open in Safeway’s place.
That move would make a lot of sense, since the store at 950 NE 50th St. is across the street from another Publix market.
I asked Publix for an update.
“While this location will become a traditional Publix, we are excited about a GreenWise Market opening in Boca sometime in 2019,” said spokeswoman Nicole Krauss. Wait, what?
Two traditional Publix stores across the street from each other in Oakland Park and two GreenWise stores in Boca Raton seems odd.
A GreenWise Market opened in 2007 on St. Andrews Boulevard. The new store will be a couple of miles away at the southwest corner of Glades and Boca Rio roads.
It’s unclear if the original GreenWise store will remain open. Lakeland-based Publix says the new store will be smaller and completely different as it re-imagines and expands the organic and natural concept to compete head-tohead with Whole Foods Market and other organic grocers.
The tuned-up GreenWise Market, which will not have Publix in its name, will offer “a thoughtfully curated selection of organic, specialty and traditional grocery items” aimed at health-conscious shoppers.
“We learned a lot from the Publix GreenWise Market currently in Boca Raton and are excited to launch this new shopping destination,” Kevin Murphy, a senior vice president of retail operations, said in a news release. “The new GreenWise Market concept features a simplified environment designed to show off our unique and house-made offerings. We believe our customers will appreciate our curated selection.”
The first new GreenWise will open near Florida State University in Tallahassee on Oct. 6. Other locations also are underway in South Carolina and Lakeland, with many other sites being identified.
“We think foodies and health-conscious customers alike will love what the store will offer,” Murphy said.
“We’re especially excited to announce a location in our hometown.” That store will open next, Publix said.
GreenWise stores will be about 25,000-square feet and feature a wide selection of prepared foods, from burrito bowls and sushi to smoked wings and fresh-baked pizzas. Grocery aisles will be stocked with GreenWise store brands, and other natural/organic national brands, antibiotic- and hormone-free meats, sustainably sourced seafood, homemade sausages, a specialty baker and an array of artisanal cheeses and other good eats. Stores also will carry natural personal care products and vitamins. Grocery carts will even have cupholders for kombucha (still wondering what the heck that is), wine and craft beer on tap. Now you’re talking!
GreenWise 2.0 sounds like a mashup of Whole Foods and Lucky’s Market, which, incidentally, has a store under construction at Glades Road and 95th Avenue South in Boca Raton. The Boulder-based affordable organic grocer will also open stores in Dania Beach and Cooper City next year.
Sprouts Farmers Market also is moving into South Florida. The Phoenix-based healthy grocery chain has not announced dates yet for planned stores in Deerfield Beach and Wellington.
Surveys show pricier organics are a fast-growing category in supermarkets as more shoppers, especially young ones, demand quality food ahead of cost.
More competition means Publix must experiment and expand to stay competitive
Here’s a thought: Perhaps after the traditional market opens in the old Safeway building, that Publix across the street will become a GreenWise Market.
“You never know,” Krauss said. “We’re really excited about this new concept.”