[bandsdavis]

Originally Posted by Boomer

I like to shop at Publix, even though I have to run past the bakery section, with my eyes closed.

I like to shop at Publix because the stores are clean and bright and the employees are helpful.

But there is more to it than that -- for me -- I like to shop at Publix because I really like their business plan. The quote below is from an article in Forbes, May 28, 2015. The title of the article is "Publix, Florida's Supermarket King, Mints Another Billionaire."

The quote follows:

The multi-generational Jenkins family owns about 20% of Publix, but employees are the controlling shareholders, with an 80% stake. All staffers who have put in 1,000 work hours and a year of employment receive an additional 8.5% of their total pay in the form of Publix stock.

- - -

I am from Cincinnati, home of Procter and Gamble. Company stock (profit-sharing) has been a big part of P&G's legacy. Employees were given the opportunity to accumulate shares of stock -- a stock that has paid dividends since the company began and has increased that dividend for the past 59 consecutive years, making it near the top of the list sometimes known as the Dividend Aristocrats.

I am not here to debate P&G's stock value. I did not work for P&G. (Probably coulda, shoulda.) But growing up and spending most of my life in Cincinnati, I have seen what that profit-sharing plan could do to help P&G employees to raise families, buy houses, educate kids, and to eventually be able to retire with a rather tidy portfolio, still paying dividends.

Anyway, I don't know if P&G is now what it once was in inspiring employee loyalty. All I know is I think profit-sharing is an excellent way to run a business. Of course, the Jenkins family are billionaires. That's fine. But that company stock they share with the employees has to be a big part of making that happen.

Publix stock is different from P&G in that Publix is not publicly traded. But it looks like a business goal is there in much the same way. The Publix plan sounds like a good one, too, employees owning the business with the billionaires.

Just imagine a country where Walmart had made company stock a benefit of employment. Not only would many more people start to understand how investing works, but think of the pride in "ownership" and the loyal commitment to the employer that can only make a business better. ROI comes in many forms......

And did you see that part in the above quote from Forbes that says Publix employees can get stock after only 1000 hours and one year. --You know.......Walmart coulda, shoulda. (sigh)

If you see a woman at Publix, running past the bakery section with her eyes closed or wandering through the parking lot looking for her white car with the Florida plates, that could be me because I am going to keep on shopping at Publix. Besides, I like their green shirts.

Boomer

Boomer, you should try their Whole Wheat Mountain Bread. It's really great!

[Vladimir]

I guess I have a contrary view of Publix. They do not impress me and if Wegman or Shop Rite was here to give them some competition they would be in trouble. The bakery and produce section is limited and not that good. There is no prepared hot food section to speak of...think Italian hot foods, Chinese foods, various salad combinations, prepared sea foods, etc. The deli section is overpriced and irritatingly slow and lacks proper staffing. Their rows are narrow and the CPG selections also limited. Yes they try to be nice but I'm not paying for nice in lieu of quality and expansive food product. I love FL and TV but the supermarkets are disappointing.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Vladimir

I guess I have a contrary view of Publix. They do not impress me and if Wegman or Shop Rite was here to give them some competition they would be in trouble. The bakery and produce section is limited and not that good. There is no prepared hot food section to speak of...think Italian hot foods, Chinese foods, various salad combinations, prepared sea foods, etc. The deli section is overpriced and irritatingly slow and lacks proper staffing. Their rows are narrow and the CPG selections also limited. Yes they try to be nice but I'm not paying for nice in lieu of quality and expansive food product. I love FL and TV but the supermarkets are disappointing.

Which is why there are choices. Wegmans is great but it's not here. Shop Rite was ok, to me, but nothing special. I understand the Publix stores in TV are smaller than stores outside TV and the larger stores offer more. But, we got what we got (Aldi's and Walmart included).

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Just curious: OP why after five years did you decide to promote Publix?

Was not attempting to "promote" but rather sharing my experiences and respect for the consistency of quality contacts that my wife and I have when shopping at Publix.

We own no stock, have no friends nor family working for them, get no special treatment.

We do find that no matter which Publix we patronize, our quality experiences are the same.

The only complaint that I hear is that their stores(especially Colony) are crowded. We find that to be true at certain times and especially during "the season". Our time since retiring is quite flexible so we shop at slower times.

I was not attempting to "Promote" Publix, but rather provide useful info about a quality business- we see so many negative experiences on these threads.

I am curious why you asked the question the way you did.

P.S. I do belong to a Villages Rotary Club which has received a significant amount of financial support from Publix for our local and international philanthropic efforts. This kind of commitment from Publix has been experienced by many organizations throughout their market area. When writing first post, their community support was not on my mind or I would have included it there.

[Mleeja]

Originally Posted by Challenger

Was not attempting to "promote" but rather sharing my experiences and respect for the consistency of quality contacts that my wife and I have when shopping at Publix.

We own no stock, have no friends nor family working for them, get no special treatment.

We do find that no matter which Publix we patronize, our quality experiences are the same.

The only complaint that I hear is that their stores(especially Colony) are crowded. We find that to be true at certain times and especially during "the season". Our time since retiring is quite flexible so we shop at slower times.

I was not attempting to "Promote" Publix, but rather provide useful info about a quality business- we see so many negative experiences on these threads.

I am curious why you asked the question the way you did.

P.S. I do belong to a Villages Rotary Club which has received a significant amount of financial support from Publix for our local and international philanthropic efforts. This kind of commitment from Publix has been experienced by many organizations throughout their market area. When writing first post, their community support was not on my mind or I would have included it there.

Nice reply.

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by Challenger

...

I was not attempting to "Promote" Publix, but rather provide useful info about a quality business- we see so many negative experiences on these threads.

...

I thank you.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by Vladimir

I guess I have a contrary view of Publix. They do not impress me and if Wegman or Shop Rite was here to give them some competition they would be in trouble. The bakery and produce section is limited and not that good. There is no prepared hot food section to speak of...think Italian hot foods, Chinese foods, various salad combinations, prepared sea foods, etc. The deli section is overpriced and irritatingly slow and lacks proper staffing. Their rows are narrow and the CPG selections also limited. Yes they try to be nice but I'm not paying for nice in lieu of quality and expansive food product. I love FL and TV but the supermarkets are disappointing.

If Publix is so bad..............where do you buy your groceries??

[Jima64]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

If Publix is so bad..............where do you buy your groceries??

As much as I like Publix I have to shop where the prices are overall lower on a weekly basis. Wish I could shop there full time but the wallet says no.

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by NYGUY

Publix scored #67....Wegmans scored #3 (number 1 as best grocery store)....I am surprised a Western NY guy didn't know this.

a number of my family have worked for Wegmans over the years. they pay well and their benefits are quality.

Tops not so tops

[rubicon]

We are equal opportunity grocery shoppers

When we lived in Iowa they had two employee owned grocery chains that did well Dahl's and Hy Vee

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by Jima64

As much as I like Publix I have to shop where the prices are overall lower on a weekly basis. Wish I could shop there full time but the wallet says no.

give us a hint

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Challenger

Was not attempting to "promote" but rather sharing my experiences and respect for the consistency of quality contacts that my wife and I have when shopping at Publix.

It's good to to see a positive thread. Well done.

[Schaumburger]

Originally Posted by rubicon

We are equal opportunity grocery shoppers

When we lived in Iowa they had two employee owned grocery chains that did well Dahl's and Hy Vee

I spent the first 18 years of my life in eastern Iowa, and I have shopped at HyVee many times as my dad still lives 1 mile from one of the HyVee stores in Dubuque, IA. HyVee is an excellent chain (their motto is "Where there's a helpful smile in every aisle." I have also shopped at several Publix stores while visiting The Villages and have always had a good experience.

About 20 years ago I worked with a chemist who immigrated to the U.S. from the former Soviet Union. I asked her what she most liked about living in the United States. Her answer surprised me. She told me that one of her favorite things about living in the U.S. was being able to go into an American supermarket and seeing rows and rows of stocked shelves and being able to buy as many groceries as one wanted as long as you had the money to pay for them. She said that such was not the case in the Soviet Union in the early 1990's when there were food shortages and rationing.

[Fraugoofy]

Originally Posted by Schaumburger

I spent the first 18 years of my life in eastern Iowa, and I have shopped at HyVee many times as my dad still lives 1 mile from one of the HyVee stores in Dubuque, IA. HyVee is an excellent chain (their motto is "Where there's a helpful smile in every aisle." I have also shopped at several Publix stores while visiting The Villages and have always had a good experience.

About 20 years ago I worked with a chemist who immigrated to the U.S. from the former Soviet Union. I asked her what she most liked about living in the United States. Her answer surprised me. She told me that one of her favorite things about living in the U.S. was being able to go into an American supermarket and seeing rows and rows of stocked shelves and being able to buy as many groceries as one wanted as long as you had the money to pay for them. She said that such was not the case in the Soviet Union in the early 1990's when there were food shortages and rationing.

I think sometimes we all forget just how fortunate most of us are!

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

[Schaumburger]

Originally Posted by Fraugoofy

I think sometimes we all forget just how fortunate most of us are!

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

Agree with you that most Americans don't know how good we have it compared what people experience so many other countries. I wish my mom was still alive to talk about the food rationing she experienced as a middle school/high school student during WWII. Can you imagine Americans having to go through food rationing in 2016...now that would be interesting, and I don't think in a good way.