Growing up green

Growing up green
Publix caps a 35-year history in environment conservation with GreenWise Market

By Vilma Barr, New York Editor
March 01, 2008

Courtesy of Publix Super Markets Inc., Lakeland, Fla.

Publix Super Markets Inc., Lakeland, Fla., has always had green on its mind. The grocer became a retailing industry pioneer in the early '70s when it instituted a company-wide recycling program in approximately 200 stores it then operated in Florida. Now, its 927 stores throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee provide collection bins (typically placed in store lobbies) for customers to deposit used plastic and paper bags and polystyrene trays. Publix estimates that for 2006, the company's recycled cardboard prevented the destruction of 3.6 million trees, while other conservation programs saved 1.5 billion gallons of water and 2.3 million barrels of oil.

Last September, Publix debuted its first-ever GreenWise Market in the Legacy Place Shopping Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Evolving from the name of Publix's popular private-label, earth-friendly product line, the 39,000-sq.-ft. GreenWise store is an extensive selection of health, all-natural, organic and eco-savvy products along with traditional best sellers. The new GreenWise concept, however, intends to be more green than just its product mix. Publix has applied for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, citing the store's energy-saving programs and sustainable materials used in construction.

One of the factors in Publix management's decision to initiate the GreenWise program was as a response to the increasing number of food- and environmentally savvy consumers it serves, comments Maria Brous, spokesperson for Publix. "We wanted to make it easy for our customers to find in one convenient location the products that support their current lifestyle," she states. Serving this clientele, the company's free magazine, Publix GreenWise Market, is published monthly, carrying articles on food, nutrition and fitness and distributed in Publix stores nationwide.

Founded by Charles Jenkins in 1930 with a single store in Winter Haven, Fla., that grossed $200,000, Publix's sales volume has grown to reach approximately $22 billion in 2007. Most Publix stores are between 27,000 sq. ft. to 61,000 sq. ft., according to Brous. Store planning and design is handled by an in-house team assisted by outside consultants for specialized expertise on projects. A Sustainability Team functions as part of the company's facilities department to implement and monitor the energy program, Brous says.

Exteriors of Publix markets blend with their surroundings wherever possible, Brous points out. For the new Palm Beach Gardens GreenWise store, the two-tone exterior façade of stucco and stone blends with the shopping center's tropical-style architecture. A white cornice tops the two-level structure, and dark blue awnings identify recessed doorways and windows.

Inside, the 32-ft.-high ceiling accommodates a mezzanine that is surrounded by a clear railing decorated with an etched design of wind-blown high grass. Located on the WiFi-served mezzanine is a community room, lounge seating area, and a dining section for breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings from the extensive selection of prepared foods that occupies 4,500 sq. ft. of selling space on the ground level. Publix GreenWise carries wines made with organic grapes, hormone-free meats, and preservative- and antibiotic-free fish. Sushi is made with organic brown rice. The bakery department carries more than 350 freshly made products. Event planning is a free customer service—a Publix specialist suggests food and wine that the store can supply for business and social gatherings.

A color-coded shelf tag system was instituted to inform shoppers about the "green-ness" of the products. Organic products carry one of three different brown identification tags (conventional supermarket items have white tags), ranging from All-Natural to 70 percent to 94 percent organic ingredients. A dedicated body care section carries natural and conventional lines of homeopathy, herbals, aromatherapy, hair care, vitamins and supplements. A Health Notes kiosk provides information on fresh foods, wines, organics, diet and medications.

GreenWise Market's flooring is locally supplied concrete aggregate, reducing transportation emissions. The warm tan color is integrated into the concrete and topped after installation with a polish that is free of harsh chemicals, Brous explains. Skylights introduce daylighting throughout the store, while a light-sensoring system monitors the natural illumination and adjusts the ambient fluorescent lighting to a programmed level. Environmentally friendly secondary coolant systems and refrigerants are used throughout the store.

LED lighting illuminates refrigerated cases, coolers and freezers. "We find that they are 85 percent more efficient than fluorescent lamps formerly used for the same purpose," Brous says. The produce area uses T6 HID track lighting that is estimated to be 55 percent more efficient than halogen. An anti-sweat device for doors on refrigerated cases eliminates condensation, representing 2 percent to 3 percent in energy savings.

To help reduce the store's air conditioning load, the roof is covered with a highly reflective soy-based coating. Many of the merchandise display fixtures were made from lumber certified as having been harvested from forests where sustainable practices are followed. Bamboo was also utilized in the construction of the display fixtures, while plywood made from sugarcane stalks covers wall surfaces on the stairwell leading to the mezzanine.

Publix executives are analyzing the initial performance reports from Palm Beach Gardens, Brous says. "This is our pilot program; we're still learning," she adds. Future GreenWise markets in Florida will be opening in coming months, first in Boca Raton, followed by Vero Beach and Tampa, and then Naples in 2009.

DDI's Green Scene 2008 report, which bundles the full articles from March 2008's Green Scene section covering multiple retailers, is available as a PDF complete with photos. Click here to purchase the PDF.