Covington Welcomes Brand New, State-of-the Art Winn-Dixie

Covington Welcomes Brand New, State-of-the Art Winn-Dixie
COVINGTON, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: WINN - News) celebrates the completion of its brand-new store here tomorrow. The 55,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art supermarket, located at 70431 Highway 21 north of New Orleans, features a 24-foot tall open entranceway highlighted by an outdoor farmer’s market featuring fresh produce from local growers. This is the Jacksonville, Fla.-based grocer’s first newly-constructed location since 2004.

“We are very proud to be able to offer this beautiful store to the neighbors and communities of Covington,” said Winn-Dixie Chairman, CEO and President Peter Lynch. “Not only does it provide a best-in-class shopping experience, but it brings 200 new jobs to the area as well.”

GreenChill Certification

The Covington location also is the first grocery store in Louisiana to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GreenChill certification. GreenChill is an EPA Partnership with food retailers designed to help reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease the industry's impact on the ozone layer and climate change. Supermarkets that reduce their refrigerant emissions by at least 65% versus the average may receive GreenChill's store certification award. Currently, only 26 supermarkets in the entire nation have been able to qualify.

"Winn-Dixie can be very proud of this accomplishment," said Keilly Witman, manager of EPA's GreenChill Partnership. "People want to do business with stores that share their environmental values. By having the first GreenChill-certified store in Louisiana, Winn-Dixie has demonstrated to its customers and communities that it is serious about helping to save our Earth's ozone layer and fighting climate change."

New Look

The store showcases Winn-Dixie’s latest design concepts, including 21,000 square feet of polished wood flooring, 34,000 square feet of stained concrete flooring, and an exposed beam ceiling. At the entrance, a sleek, modern glass-front exterior overarches a covered walkway.

Features

Customers will experience the following enhanced features:

* large produce department featuring a outdoor farmer’s market and a wide variety of organic and natural products
* large, well-stocked wine department
* wine steward
* custom sandwich and sub shop
* wood-burning rotisserie
* wing bar and hot foods station
* barbecue station
* panini grill
* salad bar
* yogurt bar
* peanut butter machine
* olive cart



* bakery department with freshly-baked muffins and bread and specialty desserts
* 16’ iced seafood case, lobster tank and freshly-prepared sushi
* large meat department with full-service meat case
* Naturewell Natural Beef and Prairie Grove Farms natural pork selections
* carving station
* large frozen food and dairy departments
* full pharmacy, featuring a wellness center
* floral department
* seasonal merchandise and gift section
* ready-to-cook meal solutions

“We invite all of our Covington neighbors to see their new Winn-Dixie,” said Joey Medina, Winn-Dixie regional vice president, New Orleans. “We are very excited to bring them a premium shopping experience every time they visit us.”

“We are proud to have Winn-Dixie as a community partner,” said St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis. “This neighborhood store is not only convenient for Covington residents, but also brings a positive economic impact to the Parish. I also appreciate Winn-Dixie’s planning efforts with the Parish’s Department of Homeland Security. Winn-Dixie is an essential partner in our emergency recovery plan. ”

Grand Opening Events

Each day during the grand-opening week, customers will be welcomed with a slice of king cake and the first 250 customers will receive a free grocery item. Activities throughout the month of grand-opening celebrations include live entertainment from Joe Simon’s Jazz, an autograph session with local Mardi Gras expert Arthur Hardy, a crawfish boil, local flavor food sampling, and a Mardi Gras-themed Family Fun Day. Additionally, a drawing will be held for a Mardi Gras package that includes hotel accommodations in New Orleans and passes to ride on a Mardi Gras parade float, compliments of Coca-Cola.

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, Fla. The Company currently operates 515 retail grocery locations, including more than 400 in-store pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi. For more information, please visit www.winn-dixie.com.

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Contact:

Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.
Robin Lake Miller, 904-370-7715 or 904-327-1445 (cell)
mediarelations@winn-dixie.com
or
St. John & Partners
Erin Heltz, 985-792-5136 or 985-956-0297 (cell)
erinheltz@sjp.com