What does a new deal with Aldi and Winn-Dixie mean for Miami shoppers? Here's a rundown
Winn-Dixie may have big challenges in its home state of Florida, but the Jacksonville-based supermarket chain has survived Publix dominance, a merger with Aldi, and, well, the price of eggs.
Still, it fights on, the plucky Rocky to the others' mighty Apollo Creed.
After a merger with discount grocer Aldi and the possible disappearance of the brand, Winn-Dixie and its Rewards card will live.
There won't be as many Winn-Dixie markets after Aldi converts hundreds of them, but many will survive the merger deal. Aldi is selling back stores it doesn't want to a new consortium, including the current Winn-Dixie chief.
This month a group of private investors, led by Anthony Hucker, the current CEO and president of parent company Southeastern Grocers, and the grocer's supply chain partner C&S Wholesale Grocers, acquired Southeastern Grocers and many of its Winn-Dixie stores back from Aldi.
Aldi bought Southeastern Grocers in March 2024 and about 400 of its Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores. Aldi announced plans to convert hundreds of Winn-Dixie locations. Harveys Supermarket has about 10 stores in Florida in Jacksonville, Winter Park, Ocala, Havana, Lakeland and Lake City but none in the South Florida region.
The conversion of Winn-Dixie stores into Aldi markets is still happening, but retail experts say the latest move is a strategic win for both brands.
'It seems Aldi sized up the opportunity, learned a little about what makes its supermarket competitors tick, then picked some prime locations to convert and turned the keys back over to people who are willing to run large food stores,' the trade site Grocery Dive said.
MORE: Which Winn-Dixie markets will become Aldi stores in South Florida? Here's first list
The grocery store back-and-forth doesn't involve Fresco y Mas, which was owned by Southeastern Grocers but went independent when Aldi bought the parent company.
'The purchase solidifies the grocer's continued legacy in the Southeast and aligns both leadership and ownership for reinvestment and growth in the organization,' Southeastern Grocers said in a statement sent to the Miami Herald.
'From the beginning, we shared that we intended for a meaningful number of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets to continue to operate, and we're delivering on that promise while also supporting Aldi growth,' Aldi said, confirming it had divested about 170 of the stores that were not part of the conversion plans.
Aldi said it's undergoing an 'ambitious five-year national expansion of 800 stores by the end of 2028.'
Here is what the new twist in ownership may mean for the South Florida grocery shopper:
What happens next with Aldi and Winn-Dixie?
The agreement includes the acquisition of SEG grocery and liquor store operations under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket names. Southeastern is now running those reacquired stores.
How many stores: About 170 grocery stores in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as the existing Winn-Dixie liquor store business are back in SEG possession. Aldi intends to complete its conversion plans of about 220 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to the Aldi format over a three-year period expected to wrap in 2027.
Some of these conversions are in South Florida. Neither Southeastern nor Aldi released a full list of the 220 stores remaining under Aldi's control.
Converting South Florida stores
We know of a few previously announced Winn-Dixie to Aldi conversions in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties among the 220 stores Aldi retains. At some point later in 2025 or 2026, these Winn-Dixie supermarkets will become Aldi stores:
▪ Aventura Winn-Dixie at 20417 Biscayne Blvd.
▪ Fort Lauderdale Winn-Dixie at 941 SW 24th St.
▪ Boynton Beach Winn-Dixie at 8855 Boynton Beach Blvd.
▪ Westlake Winn-Dixie at 5060 Seminole Pratt Whitney Rd. in Palm Beach County.
'In the meantime, Aldi and SEG leadership will continue to work together closely to ensure a smooth transition, with dedicated leaders overseeing the store conversion and hiring process. SEG will continue to operate the remaining stores identified for conversion in the normal course of business, with the same level of care and focus on quality and service, up to and until each respective store is closed for conversion,' Southeastern Grocers said.
'When stores reopen as Aldi, shoppers can expect a quick, easy shopping experience with great products at the lowest prices, saving up to 36% on an average shopping trip. For families of four in Miami, that means they can save up to $4,029 every year shopping at Aldi, compared to a traditional grocer,' Aldi said.
We haven't verified that touted amount of annual savings. However eggs — the subject of much discussion due to rising costs and shortages linked to the nationwide avian influenza outbreak — on Feb. 4 were priced at $4.67 for a dozen large Grade As at an Aldi in the Hammocks neighborhood in West Kendall.
Aldi's eggs were cheaper that week compared to competitors like Publix ($5.49) in Kendall's Palms at Town & Country shopping center and a Winn-Dixie ($7.39) on Coral Way in Miami.
READ MORE: How much do eggs cost in Miami?
When will we know which stores stay as Winn-Dixie?
Southeastern Grocers hasn't publicly revealed the 170 regained stores it will control and potentially renovate.
Southeastern Grocers statement: 'We will be informing our associates first of those decisions as they are finalized, and as market conditions permit. We will share this information with each community once our associates have been appropriately informed.'
Will the remaining Winn-Dixie stores get spruced up?
Some Winn-Dixie stores underwent renovations that were overdue. For instance, a faded strip mall location at the Sunset West Shopping Center at 8710 SW 72nd St. was remodeled and reopened in the summer of 2023. The 57,124- square-foot Winn-Dixie at 3275 Coral Way — with its attached liquor store that opened in 1990 in the space of the former Twin (and later Triple) Gables movie theater — is more than twice the size of the average 22,000-square-foot Aldi.
Renovations of some of the 170 stores could get face lifts, the company suggested.
Southeastern Grocers statement: '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, grow our liquor store business with additional locations, and add select new grocery store locations where we had the opportunity to do so within our footprint. Our plans provide for sufficient capital expenditures to be deployed to pursue these same investments going forward.'
What about Winn-Dixie Rewards?
Southeastern Grocers said it planned to continue Winn-Dixie's savings programs, including its Rewards app..
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