Company Profile
Publix Super Markets, Inc.
Company Overview
Throughout our history, our associates and customers have helped Publix grow from a single store into the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the United States. We thank them by remaining deeply dedicated to customer service and community involvement, and being a great place to work. Our mission at Publix is to be the premier quality food retailer in the world.
We are the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the United States, and we are one of the 10 largest-volume supermarket chains in the country. Our retail sales in 2014 reached $30.6 billion. Currently, we employ over 176,500 people. We've received numerous awards for being a great place to shop and work.
Company History
George W. Jenkins, the late founder of Publix Super Markets Inc., was born Sept. 29, 1907. Growing up in Harris, GA, he worked in his father's general store. In 1925, he headed to Tampa, FL at the age of 17 with hopes of making his fortune in the Florida real estate boom. Instead, he took a job as a stock clerk in a Piggly Wiggly grocery store. After only a couple of months, he was promoted to manager and was later transferred to manage the chain's largest store in Winter Haven, a position he held from 1926 to 1930. It was that year that he resigned from Piggly Wiggly to start his own grocery store.
On Sept. 6, 1930, George Jenkins opened his first store, called Publix Food Store, in Winter Haven. In 1935, he opened a second location across town. He closed these first two stores to open his dream store, the first Publix Super Market, on Nov. 8, 1940. A "food palace" of marble, glass and stucco, this store included innovations such as air conditioning, fluorescent lighting, electric eye doors and terrazzo floors. In 1945, he acquired a warehouse and 19 All American stores from the Lakeland Grocery Company. He began replacing these small stores with larger supermarkets. He continued his never-ending expansion, bringing the Publix standard of clean stores, friendly service and quality merchandise to customers throughout Florida.
As Publix supermarkets continued to spring up across the Southeast, improving to include delis, pharmacies, and even cooking schools, the company never veered from Mr. George's original philosophy of treating employees and customers like family. Our thousands of cashiers, baggers, meat cutters, and bakers are the company's largest collective shareholders—all trained to put their customers first. As a result, year after year, Publix has been hailed as the No. 1 supermarket for customer satisfaction, one of FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies to Work For," and as an inspiration for its sustainability efforts and community involvement.
Benefits
Core benefits for all eligible associates:
Employee stock ownership plan that contributes Publix stock to associates each year at no cost to them
An opportunity to purchase additional shares of our privately held stock
Annual holiday cash bonus
All hourly associates are paid weekly
Quarterly retail bonus for store associates
401(k) retirement savings plan with a company match
Group health plan (with prescription benefits)
Group dental plan
Group vision plan
Free flu shots
Direct deposit in up to three separate checking or savings accounts
Credit union membership
Tuition reimbursement
Service awards
Employee assistance program
Opportunities for advancement
Opportunity to participate annually in a survey to let management know your opinion on a wide range of workplace quality issues
Additional benefits for eligible full-time associates:
Vacation pay
Six paid holidays
Company-paid life insurance (with accidental death and dismemberment benefits)
Bereavement pay
Jury duty pay
Long-term disability plan
Holiday exchange (select another day off when you work a holiday)