The family name associated with Publix Super Markets, founded by George W. Jenkins in 1930, is Jenkins.
George W. Jenkins opened the first Publix Food Store in Winter Haven, Florida, in 1930. He later developed a supermarket model emphasizing clean stores, customer service and employee ownership, helping Publix grow throughout the southeastern United States.
Publix is often described as employee-owned, but the Jenkins family has also remained a major shareholder. The company is privately held, so its ownership structure differs from that of publicly traded supermarket chains such as Kroger or Walmart.
The business expanded beyond Florida into states including Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. Its headquarters are in Lakeland, Florida, while its founder’s surname remains the key family-business connection.