Business & Tech

Do You Know the Largest Employee-Owned Company in America?

Yes, you do know the largest employee-owned company in America – and probably better than you think. 

That's because the company is Florida-based Publix, which has just been profiled by Forbes magazine for its unusual approach for doing business in this era of cost-cutting and impersonal chain stores.

in an article titled How Publix's People-First Culture Is Winning the Grocery Wars," Forbes notes that family-run Publix is "the most profitable grocer in America." 

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But these achievements have largely been kept in the Publix family, which has shunned media attention over the years. But as Walmart tries to blanket Florida with its Neighborhood Markets, the company agreed to an interview.

The story notes Publix for its hands-on approach to customer service, where staff asks shoppers – without prompting – if they need assistance and clerks will find a store item or walk customers to the aisle where it is located.

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Publix makes no secret that "shopping is a pleasure" at its stores, where old-fashioned common courtesy is a proven money maker.

The story also notes other approaches to customer service that seem to benefit the business:

  • A two-customer-per-line goal to keep waits down in the checkout lane.
  • Carrying a shopper's packages to the parking lot and helping to unload them.
  • Promoting staff from within the company to management positions, as was done with president, Todd Jones, who started out as a bag boy three decades ago.
According to the profile:
"For 83 years Publix has thrived by delivering top-rated service to its shoppers by turning thousands of its cashiers, baggers, butchers and bakers into the company’s largest collective shareholders. 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.

For the full article on "How Publix's People-First Culture Is Winning the Grocery Wars," click here.

Do you shop at Publix? What do you like best about the grocery store? Which do you like better: Publix or Walmart? Let us know in the comments below.

In Largo, Publix stores include:

  • 10411 Ulmerton Rd, Largo, FL 33771 (727) 588-1285
  • 13031 Walsingham Rd, Largo, FL 33774 (727) 596-7489


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