Southeastern Grocers
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Supermarkets) |
| Founded | September 2013 |
| Founder | Lone Star Funds |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville, Florida , United States |
Area served | Southeastern United States |
Key people | Anthony Hucker (CEO) |
| Products | Grocery stores (Winn-Dixie, Harveys, Fresco y Más) |
Number of employees | 63,000 (at merger in 2011) |
| Parent | Lone Star Funds (until acquisition by Aldi and repurchase) |
| Website | www |
Southeastern Grocers—previously known as Bi-Lo Holdings—is a U.S.-based supermarket group headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Established by Lone Star Funds in September 2013, it operates as the parent organization for the grocery chains Harveys, Winn-Dixie, and Fresco y Más.
In 2015, Southeastern Grocers was ranked 31st on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies.
BI-LO Holdings under Lone Star Funds
In December 2004, the private equity firm Lone Star Funds purchased BI-LO Holdings, which included the BI-LO and Bruno's supermarket brands, from Ahold. By March 2007, Lone Star had separated Bruno's, Food World, and Food Max stores from the BI-LO portfolio.
BI-LO filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2009. With a $350 million capital injection from Lone Star, the company successfully emerged from bankruptcy by May 2010.
On December 19, 2011, BI-LO merged with Winn-Dixie, forming an entity with 690 stores and a workforce of approximately 63,000 employees across eight southeastern states. The acquisition of Winn-Dixie was completed for $560 million, with Winn-Dixie operating as a subsidiary headquartered in Jacksonville.
On May 28, 2013, BI-LO purchased the Harveys, Sweetbay, and Reid's grocery chains from the Delhaize Group for $265 million. Post-acquisition, Sweetbay locations were converted to Winn-Dixie stores, Reid's outlets became BI-LO stores, while Harveys maintained its original branding.
Reorganization as Southeastern Grocers
In September 2013, Southeastern Grocers was established by Lone Star Funds to serve as the parent company overseeing BI-LO, Harveys, and Winn-Dixie. The company submitted filings to raise up to $500 million through an initial public offering in the U.S., intending to trade under the ticker symbol "SEG."
That same month, Southeastern Grocers agreed to purchase 22 supermarkets from Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. located in South Carolina and Georgia. One Lexington, SC location was closed due to proximity to existing BI-LO stores. Additionally, seven BI-LO stores in the Charlotte area were sold to Publix.
Plans for a public offering were halted in August 2014 when Southeastern Grocers withdrew its IPO registration.
By July 2015, Southeastern Grocers divested 21 BI-LO stores in Chattanooga and eight others in northern Georgia to K-VA-T Food Stores; these were rebranded as Food City. This transaction marked Southeastern Grocers’ withdrawal from the Tennessee market.
In October 2015, the company eliminated 250 positions within its support offices at Jacksonville headquarters and regional centers to enhance operational efficiency and focus on customer service improvements; no reductions occurred among store-level employees.
Beginning in June 2016, Southeastern launched Fresco y Más—a supermarket brand targeting Hispanic customers with an expanded selection of Latin American products—by converting several Winn-Dixie locations throughout South Florida. By mid-2017, Fresco y Más had expanded to 18 stores across Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
In May 2017, Southeastern Grocers announced plans to close 23 stores and reduce certain store leadership roles.
Following these developments, leadership changes took place in June 2017 when President and CEO Ian McLeod exited the company. Anthony Hucker—who joined earlier in 2016 and served as interim CEO since July—was officially named president and CEO in August 2017.
2018 bankruptcy
In February 2018, Southeastern Grocers divested eight Winn-Dixie outlets located in southern Louisiana to Texas-based Brookshire Grocery Company, while selling seven additional stores in Mississippi and New Orleans to Baton Rouge’s Shoppers Value Foods.
On March 15, 2018, Southeastern Grocers revealed a Chapter 11 restructuring strategy aimed at decreasing debt by more than $500 million. This plan included shutting down 94 stores spanning the BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harveys, and Winn-Dixie chains.
By the end of March, the company transferred ownership of three BI-LO stores in South Carolina and three Harveys stores in Georgia to independent Piggly Wiggly franchisees. Furthermore, three Winn-Dixie locations in northeast Alabama were sold to Mitchell Grocery Corp on behalf of Johnson's Giant Foods and The D'Alessandro Organization LLC, while the Winn-Dixie store in Atmore, Alabama was acquired by Ramey's.
In April 2018, Food Lion purchased four BI-LO stores situated in South Carolina. Publix assumed control of the BI-LO site in Seneca, South Carolina, and an independent Piggly Wiggly operator reopened a previously closed Winn-Dixie store in Montgomery, Alabama. Additionally, two BI-LO outlets in Ladson and Mullins, South Carolina, were acquired and reopened by independent Piggly Wiggly owners by June.
In May 2018, a U.S. Bankruptcy judge sanctioned Southeastern Grocers’ reorganization plan. The company emerged from bankruptcy operating 575 stores across seven states—down from 704—and executed a $522 million debt-for-equity exchange. They also announced intentions to renovate 100 stores within that year.
In February 2019, Southeastern Grocers declared the closure of 22 locations spanning Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. This included shutting down 13 BI-LO outlets, 7 Winn-Dixie stores, and 2 Harveys Supermarkets.
Elimination of the BI-LO banner
On June 9, 2020, Southeastern Grocers declared its decision to discontinue operations under the BI-LO brand. To facilitate this exit, the company sold 62 stores—comprising 46 BI-LO and 16 Harveys Supermarkets—to Ahold Delhaize, the brand’s former owner. The distribution center in Mauldin, South Carolina was also transferred to Ahold Delhaize USA Distribution, LLC. These stores were rebranded as Food Lion locations in early 2021.
Moreover, Southeastern Grocers sold 57 pharmacies operating within BI-LO and Harveys stores to CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens, including all BI-LO pharmacies as well as nine Harveys sites in Georgia. This transition commenced soon after the announcement.
On September 1, 2020, Southeastern Grocers sold 20 BI-LO locations across South Carolina and Georgia to Alex Lee, Inc., which subsequently rebranded them as KJ'S Market IGA and Lowes Foods. An additional two BI-LO and one Harveys store in South Carolina were sold to independent operator B&T Foods. Following these transactions, BI-LO retained ownership of 39 stores across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. That same month, Southeastern Grocers filed documents with the SEC preparing for a potential initial public offering.
On December 21, 2020, two independent Piggly Wiggly operators—backed by C&S Wholesale Grocers—purchased one BI-LO location in South Carolina and another in Georgia from Southeastern Grocers; both sites had originally been former Piggly Wiggly stores acquired by SEG in 2013.
The remaining unsold locations were closed by April 18, 2021, marking the end of BI-LO’s six-decade presence. In January 2021, Ahold Delhaize acquired additional BI-LO stores in North and South Carolina that were scheduled for closure. Southeastern Grocers also launched an IPO effort that month but withdrew it within a week.
Acquisition by Aldi
On August 16, 2023, Southeastern Grocers revealed the agreement to transfer ownership of all Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores to the German supermarket giant Aldi. Following the transaction, some locations will continue operating under their existing brands, while others will transition to the ALDI banner. Additionally, SEG divested its Fresco y Más division, which included 28 retail outlets and four pharmacy locations, selling them to Fresco Retail Group LLC. The transaction finalized in March 2024, with the initial group of 50 stores undergoing rebranding during the summer. Over the forthcoming years, a large portion of Winn-Dixie and Harveys sites are slated for conversion into Aldi establishments.
Repurchase from Aldi
On February 7, 2025, a group led by Southeastern Grocers CEO Anthony Hucker alongside C&S Wholesale Grocers completed the acquisition of roughly 170 stores from ALDI U.S. This portfolio comprises Winn-Dixie and Harveys grocery and liquor outlets located throughout Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida. Meanwhile, Aldi plans to continue converting an additional 220 stores to its format through 2027—a process initiated in March 2024. Leadership teams from both Aldi and SEG will work in close partnership to facilitate seamless transitions. During this period, SEG will oversee operations and maintain service standards at stores scheduled for conversion until their eventual closure.
Rebranding as The Winn-Dixie Company
In October 2025, Southeastern Grocers announced its intent to rebrand as The Winn-Dixie Company in early 2026, with a renewed focus on its primary market within Florida and an expansion of its Own Brand product offerings. The company intends to withdraw from markets outside Florida and southern Georgia to channel resources into remodeling existing stores and launching new locations that emphasize community-oriented retail experiences tailored to local preferences. Furthermore, Southeastern Grocers plans to pilot innovative customer service enhancements such as third-party online grocery delivery services and return kiosks.
Store locations
- Winn Dixie (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi)
- Harveys (Florida, Georgia)
- Fresco y Más (Formerly) (Florida)