Food shoppers know the grocery industry is sharply competitive in Northeast Florida with international, national and local stores vying for customers.
To maintain or sharpen their market shares, companies and stores are adding or upgrading locations and introducing new concepts.
Here’s a look at the plans that surfaced just in the past few weeks, not to mention the progress already underway throughout the area.
This isn’t a comprehensive list – just the most recent plans.
Aldi Inc. applied to the city to build a discount grocery store in North Jacksonville at the Parkway Shops as the Germany-based chain continues its U.S and Florida expansion.
The city is reviewing a permit and plans for Aldi on 6.18 acres at 15324 Max Leggett Parkway. No contractor is listed for the $1.8 million project.
The architect is SGA Design Group P.C. of Tulsa, Oklahoma. RHS Inc. of Jacksonville is the civil engineer.
Permit data show a store of 22,394 square feet with unenclosed space of 912 square feet.
Ramco-Gershenson Inc. is the developer of Parkway Shops and the adjacent River City Marketplace.
It is one of at least 11 confirmed sites in Northeast Florida for Aldi, which operates more than 1,800 stores in 35 states.
Bartram Market is preparing to build a Publix Super Markets Inc. grocery store and two shell retail buildings along Bartram Market Drive at a construction cost of $5.65 million.
The site is along Race Track Road, primarily in St. Johns County with some property in Duval County.
St. Johns County issued constructions permits Feb. 22 for the 78,587-square-foot shopping center. Completion is expected by year-end.
The 48,848-square-foot Publix will be built at a cost of $3 million.
The construction cost for a 24,675-square-foot retail shell structure for multiple tenants is listed at $1.91 million and the cost for a 6,065-square-foot building is $736,000.
Bartram Market, by Eastland Development and Investments, is on 37.25 acres near The Pavilion at Durbin Park.
Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets Inc. continues its cycle of renovating stores.
The city is reviewing a permit application for Elkins Construction LLC to renovate the Publix at 7628 103rd St. E. in Oak Hill Village at a cost of $600,000.
Elkins will renovate almost 41,000 square feet, plans show. The store, in Southwest Jacksonville, was built in 1985.
As reported, Publix Super Markets Inc. announced it will open its first Northeast Florida GreenWise Market in Nocatee Town Center in St. Johns County and it also plans to renovate its existing full-service store there at a cost of $875,000.
GreenWise will be about 25,150 square feet, less than half the size of the existing full-size Publix at more than 55,000 square feet. GreenWise, focusing on specialty, natural and organic foods, will open early next year.
The city is reviewing a permit application for construction of Sprouts Farmers Market in Tamaya Market at northwest Beach and Tamaya boulevards.
No contractor is listed for the project, a 29,896-square-foot grocery store.
The construction cost is listed at almost $4.2 million. BRR Architecture Inc. is the architect.
Harbour Retail Partners of Wrightsville, North Carolina, is developing the 75,000-square-foot shopping center that will be anchored by Sprouts.
Randy Kelley, Harbour Retail Partners manager and developer, said the group has letters of intent with five tenants but no executed leases, so he could not comment on the identities of the additional retailers.
Kelley said site work is underway and the goal to start foundation work in April for completion in the first quarter of 2020. He said previously the project is more than $20 million.
Phoenix-based Sprouts intends to enter the Jacksonville market with two stores.
The first is set to open in the second quarter in The Markets at Town Center. The Tamaya location will open in 2020.
Winn-Dixie, a brand of Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers, officially reopened two remodeled stores in Argyle at 8560 Argyle Forest Blvd. and in Oceanway at 12333 Sago Ave. W.
Enhancements include new façade and interior signage; updated produce and seafood departments; a new deli and a selection of lunch and dinner options, including a hot bar with rotisserie chicken and a wing bar; an expanded bakery department and an expanded beer and wine selection; a full-service meat department; a new floral department; and a new Dollar Shop section in Oceanway.