Florida: Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Publix Super Markets, Inc. is one of the leading privately owned grocery stores in the states of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee. The first store was opened in Winter Haven, FL in the 1930s by George Jenkins. Starting out with purchasing a chain of just 19 grocery stores, Jenkins was able to make the Publix name known. It has since grown to include over 1,000 stores in the states listed above. Being so big, it has gained the name of being one of the 10 largest volume supermarket chains in the United States.