The Publix Store Brand Credentials Budget-Savvy Shoppers Appreciate

Ask any self-respecting Southerner what their favorite grocery store is, and the answer is (very) likely to be Publix. The uncontested store of the South, Publix supermarkets have been living up to their slogan of "where shopping is a pleasure" since the chain was first established in 1930. Today, it boasts a fleet of over 1,300 stores across the Southeastern United States.

There are many reasons to love Publix — its in-house bakery full of fresh-baked treats, the viral, delicious sub sandwiches (Pub Subs, as they're known), and its regular buy-one, get-one deals on all sorts of pantry staples, snacks, and treats. But even the most savvy and experienced Publix shoppers may be missing one key bragging point of the store that saves shoppers big, whether you realize it or not. Hiding them in plain sight, Publix fills its shelves with many of its own private-label items along with the household name brands. No matter what you're shopping for, there's pretty much always a Publix brand "generic" option. And what you might not realize is these private-label goods are actually often produced by third-party vendors.

Much like the operations of Trader Joe's or Costco, Publix's many big name brands are working behind the scenes to produce goods that are then slapped with a Publix label. Meaning, Publix shoppers can fill their carts with high-quality goods from well-known brands, while spending less than they would if buying directly from the brands — but still scoring on the same premium taste and quality. 

As mentioned, Publix is far from the only retailer employing this method. Costco and Trader Joe's, among many others, work with a team of global suppliers, producers, and manufacturers to source the goodies they sell under their own private labels. But for some reason, the fact that Publix operates by similar procedures tends to fly more under the radar.

Perhaps that's why there's less credible intel out there about exactly which brands are behind which items compared to, say, Trader Joe's, where we've definitively identified who's making the store's salad kits and the popular brand behind TJ's hummus, to name just a few. We do know brands like Boar's Head make some Publix brand deli meat and certain frozen veggies come from Green Giant, but info is scant otherwise. (Some speculate if items are shelved next to each other, they're made by the same company — for example, name brand canned veggies next to the Publix label ones, but that's unverified). Perhaps further complicating the matter is the fact that Publix has not one but three private label lines: the regular Publix line, GreenWise, and Publix Premium. 

And not everything at Publix is outsourced to its team of third-party suppliers and manufacturers, though. As stated on its website, Publix does own its own dairy plants, which is where its brand of dairy products are made, along with bottled waters and iced teas — perfect to wash down your fave Pub Sub with.