Publix just opened its 13th Pix gas station and convenience store in north Lakeland, Fla, 13 Central Florida News reported.

 

Publix Super Markets started in 1930, and is the largest and fastest-growing employee-owned supermarket chain in the U.S. The chain began adding Pix c-stores in 2001, which are still being tweaked.

 

“We’re still trying out new concepts, different sizes, different product mixes to try to figure out what’s the best bet for us,” said Shannon Patten with Publix told 13 Central Florida News.

 

Grocery retail expert Burt Flickinger III said the Pix stores are getting non-Publix customers to start shopping at Publix supermarkets. “It’s going to be a very daunting challenge (for grocery stores) to try to stay alive as Publix gets better with their Pix stores,” he said.

 

Flickinger said he expects Publix to add 150 Pix stores in the next five years.