Florida locations of Lakeland, Fla.-based Publix Super Markets Inc. will participate in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Fresh From Florida program during the coming year, said Susie McKinley, director for the ag department’s Division of Marketing and Development.
Publix’s Love your Local Choices campaign will use branded signage and social media to tout Florida-grown red grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, leafy greens, radishes, stone crabs, pink shrimp and other commodities, McKinley said.
“Food tastes better when it’s grown closer to home,” she said. “By partnering with Publix on this initiative, we are supporting Florida farmers and making it easier for Florida shoppers to identify and purchase local products.”
Publix, which has more than 840 supermarkets in Florida, has participated in the Fresh From Florida program since its inception in the early 2000s, she said.
Fresh From Florida partners with more than 100 retailers, which operate more than 12,000 stores to achieve a nationwide reach, she said.
FreshFromFlorida.com features more than 400 recipes, and the brand has more than 700,000 social media followers.
The site tells shoppers when Florida products are in season and explains how to prepare and use Florida produce in recipes, McKinley said.
For information on sourcing Florida products or retail partnership opportunities, contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 850-617-7330 or visit retailmkt@fdacs.gov.
