The Jenkins family controls Publix, the American supermarket chain founded by George W. Jenkins in 1930.
George W. Jenkins opened the first Publix Food Store in Winter Haven, Florida, in 1930. The company expanded across the southeastern United States and became known for employee ownership and customer-service-focused stores.
Publix is privately held, with substantial ownership associated with current and former employees as well as the Jenkins family. The company is headquartered in Lakeland, Florida, and operates supermarkets in several southeastern states.
A common mix-up is confusing Publix with Walmart or Kroger, which are much larger publicly traded retailers. Publix is especially associated with Florida, although its stores also operate across states including Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky.