12 Things You Might Not Have Known About Publix

In a hypersaturated grocery store market, Publix has been the poster child of quality products and services since it opened in 1930. While it may have started in the 30s, Publix has been seemingly living in the year 3,000 with ahead-of-the-curve thinking that continually sets it apart from competitors. 

Publix's roots are in South Florida, where founder George W. Jenkins financed his orange grove to get funding for more stores during the start of the Great Depression. Today, its fandom isn't limited to its home state but extends across the southeast.

 Even with over 2,000 storefronts and extensive market reach, there are some things about this grocery giant that many don't know –– and should! We're not talking about the infamous pub subs or groceries-to-your-car service either. From its own cooking school to in-store car registration, here are 12 things you might not have known about Publix.

According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, there are a little under 6,500 ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) organizations in the United States. Guess who is the largest one? That's right, Publix! 

It's a big deal when employees have a lot of authority and decision-making power in the company they work for, and that is by design at Publix. George Jenkins believed it was crucial that employees had a stake in the company, empowering them to help bring the vision of the brand to life. 

One of the company's core values, "invest in others," is embodied in the practice of employee stakeholding –– when the company succeeds financially, so do the employees. This value helps to create a sense of teamwork and pride amongst leadership and associates alike. With an employee base of 240,000 people and growing, that's one powerhouse of a brand with no signs of slowing down.

Ever wondered what it would be like to go to culinary school? You can make that a reality, as Publix has one of its very own! Founded officially in 2002, Aprons Cooking School lets customers dive into culinary techniques and recipes under the tutelage of Publix chefs. For lucky patrons in Georgia, Alabama, and Virginia, you can attend one of the select few stores in your state that have Apron schools. 

There's an array of classes offered, ranging from courses that would be great for a date to family-friendly courses. You can even pop in to drink wine while a chef gives a live tutorial. Once you've secured your spot by signing up online, head in for a themed class such as Key West cooking or a fresh pasta course. Each class is held in a special section of the store, with each kitchen designed to make you feel right at home versus an industrial workspace. Can't make it in? Aprons has you covered with virtual instruction, so you can stream classes from home.

It's not an easy feat landing a spot on the "Best Place to Work" list Fortune composes year after year. But to land a spot for 26 consecutive years is like winning the metaphorical Olympic gold of employee satisfaction, and Publix is only one of four companies that have been able to pull that off. 

Aside from the aforementioned "invest in others," there are five other values Publix was built upon: "give back, prepare for opportunity, be there, treat customers like royalty, and respect the dignity of the individual." All of these values pulled together paints a picture of Publix creating a culture of empowering employees and the larger community. 

As the largest employee-owned company with internal opportunities for further education, training, mentorship, and communication, it's no wonder Publix has achieved this reward for so long. A company can only achieve this award based on positive employee feedback to Great Place to Work, and Publix has set the bar high for nearly three decades.

No need to go to the bank or standalone ATM for quick cash, as Publix has you covered with its own line of in-store ATMs. Introduced to stores in 1982, Presto! was designed to make your Publix visit that much more convenient. Members get no extra surcharge fee for withdrawing cash, while non-members have to pay an additional $2.95 –– just an extra incentive to sign up, especially if you frequent Publix already. Certain banks, like Navy Federal Credit Union and Fifth Third Bank, are partners in the Presto network, so if you are enrolled with them you also won't pay a surcharge fee. 

Heads up that Presto! ATMs are not designed for deposits, and there's a $400 cap on withdrawals. If you are planning on making a larger transaction, it's your best bet to head to the bank instead. But if you need a quick $40 to have on hand, there are over 1,260 ATM locations spread out amongst the seven states in which Publix resides.

A common pitfall of grocery shopping is buying the wrong amount of something. Buy too much and it goes to waste, or not buy enough and you have to take a second trip to the store. To save you the trouble, Publix will customize portion sizing to fit your shopping list. In fact, that company will go so far as to repackage items based on the exact number needed, whether that's making a deluxe five-pack of lobster tails at the seafood section or bundling up half a cake to go. If you happen to be repackaging items with an associate at the butcher, you can even get your meat sliced and prepped to your liking. 

There's no doubt that getting these items prepped can save you a bit of time, but if you're really in a crunch you can opt for one of the Aprons pre-prepped meals. Keep your eyes peeled for its kiosk, where all the items are assembled for one-stop shopping. You can even grab a fresh sample to taste test.

Nobody does seafood quite like Publix. The "Reel Variety program" sources over 80 kinds of fish, both local and worldwide right to Publix stores. Even with this kind of extensive reach, Publix ensures that the program and its seafood wares are following strict environmental protocols for both wild and farmed options. The grocery store works closely with two organizations – the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative — to not only ensure the freshest product is available to you but also to ensure the environment is held in high regard, from the use of responsible fishing gear to helping protect animals from getting tangled to healthy farm practices. 

Seafood products are inspected and certified by third parties that work with these two organizations, and any outlying products not aligned with them still have to pass Publix quality inspection. Publix's standards are not lax by any means, as the Reel Variety program also has a three-phase plan that involves annual data collection to evaluate upcoming supply chain availability and projected environmental impact. In other words, if getting a certain fish is going to negatively impact the environment, chances are it's not going to make it to the shelves.

Convinced you need to join the Publix fandom at this point? Go all in and get ready to represent with some Publix merch. Since Publix seems to have it all, it makes total sense that it has an online gift shop called 363 Green. 

Powered by Florida-based company Partner Marketing, 363 sells everything from apparel to home goods to the public. There are various lines that reflect the many Publix company divisions and popular products, like Publix's Greenwise Market, Fresh Goods, and associate uniform options (in case you were eyeing the "Manager Apparel" button-downs). Some of these items are available for a limited time only and all inventory can only be bought online. 

Gifting something to a Publix superfan? Make sure to snag some Publix wrapping paper and gift bags to round out this Publix-themed gift. Better yet, you can throw them a whole Publix-themed party with 363 Green's line of Publix-branded party gear, including party hats, cups, and a party tub cooler.

As Publix says, "Green isn't just our color. It's our commitment." That statement rings true when you pick up on all the small details the company builds into its stores to practice sustainability. With its impressive sustainable fishery program and publicly available recycling bins in-store, that amount of effort is where many would probably pat themselves on the back and be done. Not Publix, though. Publix encourages customers to bring in plastic bags (which usually aren't recyclable as they can damage recycling center machinery... the more you know) for their own special recycling process to upcycle them into new plastic products. 

Publix also keeps tabs on the water and greenhouse gas usage its production fleet and stores use to try to bring down emissions and water waste. To also reduce food waste and help others simultaneously, the grocery store donates unsalable (but still consumable!) food to local food banks. These efforts aren't just for helping the environment, they're putting Publix's core value of giving back into practice.

A specialty foods store meets café, GreenWise Market was introduced to the world in 2007 and revamped again in 2017 to keep up with the dynamic health food market. What sets this concept apart from the traditional Publix layout is its focus on organic foods and health-oriented products, directly competing with similar store concepts like Whole Foods. 

Inside, GreenWise Market is divvied into five categories: POURS, Eats, Cuts, Finds, and Care. Grab a coffee, smoothie, alcoholic beverage, or kombucha on tap at POURS and a ready-made pizza or sandwich from Eats. Amongst the all-natural grocery selection, you can stop by the Cuts counter for top-tier selections of meat and sustainably-sourced seafood. GreenwWise Market even has a wellness products section, dubbed "Care" for items like supplements, homeopathic merchandise, thoughtfully formulated bath products, and even aromatherapy essentials. 

GreenWise Market locations were initially only in Florida, but more locations are slowly spreading across neighboring states of South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. So keep an eye out!

Even in the age of ordering groceries online and stores seemingly stocked to the brim, sometimes there's just that one item you can't seem to track down. Like the helpful grocery store that it is, Publix identified this issue and developed a request service just for specialty items. 

Publix teamed up with the largest specialty food distributor in the nation, KeHE Eye Level LLC, which gives you a shopping selection from a whopping 30,000 brands you may not usually find in your Publix location (or anywhere, for that matter). The first step is popping over to KeHE's Shop Gourmet website to find exactly what you need. 

All orders come with free shipping in the continental United States via UPS ground and should arrive between one and three days to you. If for some reason you still can't find what you're looking for, fret not –– you can get in touch with KeHE's customer service team to arrange an order.

No need to stop by the liquor store on your way home because wouldn't you know, Publix has that too. Publix Liquor was briefly introduced in the late 80s before closing in 1989 due to lackluster performance. It launched again in 2003 and today you can pick up an array of alcoholic beverages from over 300 Publix locations. 

However, you won't find Publix Liquor in-store as it isn't part of the beer and wine section. Rather, depending on the location, the entrance is either next door to a Publix or housed in the same building and completely blocked off with its own entryway. Publix Liquor was only at stores located in Florida up until this point, but the chain announced that a new location would be coming to Kentucky in late 2023. For Floridians looking to visit a Publix Liquor location, you can see what discounts are being offered or even get it delivered via Instacart to your home address.

Loathe going to the DMV? Don't we all? Luckily for some Publix shoppers, you can kill two birds with one stone by visiting your local Publix store. A number of Publix stores across Florida have in-house car registration from Florida MV Express, allowing patrons to simply walk up to a kiosk and knock out renewal in a pinch. In fact, Florida MV Express claims it should take less than two minutes –– just be sure you're following all the guidelines online (sorry, can't register your boat here) and have all registration information on hand. 

Publix requires a $3.95 transaction fee on top of renewal costs, which is a small price to pay for the amount of time saved. Not only does having car registration in-store contribute to a superb customer experience, but it helps bring more people in the door. Skip the DMV lines and go grocery shopping, all in one visit? Genius move, Publix.