If you walked into a Winn-Dixie this morning to grab some "Lip Lickin' Chicken" or a BOGO deal, you might have noticed things feel a little... weird. Maybe the sign out front is different, or maybe you heard a rumor that the German grocery giant Aldi finally swallowed the whole chain.
Honestly, the truth about who owns Winn-Dixie right now is a bit of a rollercoaster. Most people think Aldi bought the company and that was that. End of story.
But it's actually way more complicated—and way more interesting.
The short answer? As of early 2026, Winn-Dixie is owned by a private investment consortium led by its own CEO, Anthony Hucker, and the massive supply chain company C&S Wholesale Grocers.
Wait. Didn't Aldi buy them? Yes. But then they sold a huge chunk of it back.
The Ownership Flip That Confused Everyone
Back in 2024, Aldi made waves by acquiring Southeastern Grocers (SEG), the parent company of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket. The plan was simple: Aldi wanted to expand fast in the Southeast. They planned to take about 400 stores and turn many of them into those small, quarter-in-the-cart Aldi locations we all know.
It looked like the "Beef People" era was over.
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But then, in February 2025, something unexpected happened. Aldi realized that running a massive, full-service traditional supermarket isn't really their vibe. They’re built for efficiency, not for deli counters and 50,000-square-foot layouts.
So, they struck a deal.
Aldi kept about 220 stores to convert into the Aldi format. But for the remaining 170 or so stores? They sold them to a group of private investors. This group is spearheaded by Anthony Hucker (who was already running SEG) and C&S Wholesale Grocers.
Who is Actually Calling the Shots Today?
Because of this split ownership, the answer to who owns Winn-Dixie depends entirely on which store you’re standing in.
- The "New" Winn-Dixie Company: This is the entity owned by the Hucker-led consortium. Starting in early 2026, Southeastern Grocers officially rebranded itself as "The Winn-Dixie Company." They are doubling down on Florida and southern Georgia.
- Aldi U.S.: The German company still owns the locations they are currently converting. If your local Winn-Dixie is closing for three months and reopening with a smaller footprint and no pharmacy, that’s an Aldi-owned site.
It's a "brand-new 100-year-old company," as Hucker puts it.
Why C&S Wholesale Grocers Matters
You’ve probably never heard of C&S, but they are a titan in the grocery world. They’ve been the supply chain backbone for Winn-Dixie for over 20 years. By jumping into the ownership ring, they aren't just delivering the food anymore—they're the ones making sure the lights stay on. This partnership is basically a "vertical integration" move that keeps the shelves stocked while letting the retail team focus on the shopping experience.
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What This Means for Your Local Store
The "Beef People" aren't disappearing, but they are shrinking their map. To fund this new era, the company made some tough calls. They've been exiting most markets outside of Florida and a few spots in Georgia.
In late 2025 and moving into 2026, dozens of stores in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana were sold off or transitioned to other grocers.
If you live in Florida, though, you’re seeing the opposite. The "The Winn-Dixie Company" is actually buying stores. They recently grabbed a few Hitchcock’s Markets locations in places like Alachua and Keystone Heights to flip them into Winn-Dixies.
The Strategy Change:
- Store Count: Settling at around 130 grocery stores and 140 liquor stores.
- Focus: Hyper-local Florida vibes and southern Georgia.
- Private Label: A massive push for their "Fisherman’s Wharf" and "Own Brand" lines.
- The Chicken: They’re even bringing back the "Lip Lickin' Chicken" branding in a big way this year.
A Century of Passing the Torch
To really get who owns Winn-Dixie, you have to look at how many times this brand has nearly vanished. It started in 1925 when William Milton Davis moved to Florida and bought Rockmoor Grocery.
It grew into a powerhouse, became the first Florida-based company on the NYSE, and then hit a wall.
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Bankruptcy in 2005.
A merger with BI-LO (owned by Lone Star Funds) in 2011.
Another bankruptcy restructuring in 2018.
Every time people think Winn-Dixie is dead, someone buys the name and tries to revive it. This latest move—breaking away from Aldi to become a leaner, Florida-focused independent company—is just the latest chapter in that survival story.
Actionable Insights for Shoppers
If you’re a regular at Winn-Dixie, the ownership shift actually changes how you should shop.
- Check the Pharmacy: If your store is one of the ~200 being converted to Aldi, the pharmacy is likely gone. Aldi doesn't do pharmacies. You’ll need to transfer your scripts to a CVS, Walgreens, or a "The Winn-Dixie Company" location that is staying put.
- The Rewards Program: For now, the "Points" program is staying with the stores owned by the Hucker consortium. If your store turns into an Aldi, those points won't work there anymore.
- Liquor Stores: Interestingly, the new ownership group is obsessed with the liquor business. They’re opening freestanding liquor stores faster than grocery stores in some parts of Florida.
The takeaway: Winn-Dixie isn't a "dead brand walking" anymore. By splitting away from Aldi, they’ve managed to secure enough private funding to stay independent and focus on the one state where they actually make money: Florida.
If you want to see if your local store is staying a Winn-Dixie or turning into an Aldi, keep an eye on the weekly circular. If the "The Winn-Dixie Company" logo starts appearing, you're in one of the stores that the private investors saved.