Thread: Winn-Dixie Broadens Hispanic Initiative

Jacksonville, FL--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--December 20, 2006--Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. recently announced that it has added 55 stores to its Hispanic Neighborhood Merchandising program, including an additional 30 in the Miami market and expansion into 25 Orlando-area stores. The 522-store chain now has 103 locations that are specifically merchandised and marketed to the Hispanic consumer, blending products and services for Hispanics into its core offerings.

As part of this initiative, the retailer said it has tailored its product mix in these stores to the nationalities most heavily represented by the local demographic. For example, stores in neighborhoods with a largely Cuban population will be merchandised differently than those that serve a predominantly Mexican population. While these locations are still bannered under the Winn-Dixie name, a special tagline, El sabor de tu pais (The flavor of your country), is used in all Hispanic advertising programs and promotions to reinforce the Company’s message of commitment to serving these communities.

“It’s about getting better all the time and growing our brand,” said Peter Lynch, Winn-Dixie’s president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board. “We have recognized the importance and diversity of the growing Hispanic market for a long time. We are excited about this expansion into the Orlando market and the broadening of our base in Miami. The importance of the Neighborhood Merchandising initiative is that it allows us to keep our core product offering consistent throughout the chain, while identifying and fulfilling the special needs and desires of the many diverse neighborhoods that we serve.”

In addition, the Company, which emerged from Chapter 11 last month, has appointed a new board of directors which includes two Hispanic business leaders, Charles Garcia and Richard Rivera.

Garcia is the President of Sterling Hispanic Capital Markets Group of vFinance Investments Inc., which provides growth capital to companies focused on the Hispanic market. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, a decorated military officer, a Columbia Law School graduate, and a former White House Fellow. He was named by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics” in the United States and by Hispanic Magazine as a “2004 Entrepreneur of the Year” for his role as Chairman and CEO of Sterling Financial Group of Companies, one of the fastest growing Hispanic owned businesses in the nation. He served two terms on Florida’s State Board of Education and he is Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Rivera, a 30-year veteran of the restaurant industry, currently serves as Vice Chairman of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of Rubicon Enterprises LLC, a leading restaurant development company in Sarasota, Florida. He has also served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Darden Restaurants and has held executive positions at TGI Friday’s, Inc., Applebee’s and RARE Hospitality International, Inc. Rivera has received numerous industry awards for his achievements, including the "Golden Chain" restaurant leadership award from Nation's Restaurant News. He was also honored as one of the top restaurant operators in the U.S. with the prestigious Silver Plate award from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.

Dick and I are honored to serve on the board,” said Garcia. “This is a very exciting time in the Company’s history; it is also a time of great growth and expansion for the Hispanic population. We look forward to helping Winn-Dixie grow in every area of its business, including Hispanic outreach.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity,” said Rivera. “Having the chance to help build and shape the future of this newly emerged Company, especially as it pertains to Hispanic community outreach, is an exhilarating prospect for both of us.”

About Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. is one of the nation’s largest food retailers. Founded in 1925, the Company is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. The Company currently operates 522 stores in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi. For more information, please visit http://www.winn-dixie.com.
http://www.hispanicprwire.com:80/news.p ... 7757&cha=4

the retailer said it has tailored its product mix in these stores to the nationalities most heavily represented by the local demographic.

So, is that another way of saying not American?

What! And they are using my good name.

Dixie

Dixie: It's too bad that they are using your name. Wynn Dixie has been in financial difficulty and bankruptcy protection for a long time. Recently they restructured and closed many stores. I think that they are trying to compete with the mom and pop Hispanic stores that many of the Hispanics like to shop at. They are trying to make it one stop shopping for them. Publix has done it here in Miami and when I go shopping I go to the store in the neighboring county to get away from that. I don't like seeing their Hispanic products with no English next to our brand names and then finding American Mexican food such as taco kits, salsa, etc in the ethnic food section next to the Chinese stir fry sauces and water chestnuts.