Winn-Dixie has a new majority owner on the way, and the move carries weight well beyond one grocery chain. C&S Wholesale Grocers announced a proposed deal to take control of The Winn-Dixie Company.
For grocery retailers and food industry leaders, the transaction signals deeper consolidation between wholesale distribution and direct retail ownership.
From Consortium Partner to Majority Owner
C&S first entered the Winn-Dixie picture in 2025. That year, the company joined a consortium of private investors and acquired Winn-Dixie from ALDI U.S., according to the release. Now, C&S wants to become Winn-Dixie’s outright majority owner.
The new transaction is expected to close in early 2027. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Leadership will also shift during the transition. Anthony Hucker, Winn-Dixie’s chief executive, will step into a special advisor role over the coming months. Raymond Rhee, the company’s current chief financial officer, will take over as CEO until the deal closes, according to the company.
Winn-Dixie will keep its roots intact, too. The grocer remains committed to its Jacksonville, Florida, community. It will continue maintaining an office presence there, C&S said.
Jacksonville leaders have already backed that commitment financially. The city council approved up to $12 million in incentives in May to keep Winn-Dixie’s headquarters in place, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Why C&S Wants to Be Winn-Dixie’s Majority Owner
Eric Winn, chief executive officer of C&S, framed the move as a natural next step. He pointed to lessons learned from the company’s earlier SpartanNash integration.
“Our combination has already strengthened the skills and capabilities we need to win in the marketplace,” Winn said in the release. He added that the Southeast represents significant growth potential for the company going forward.
Winn also thanked Hucker directly for his leadership. He emphasized continuity as the two companies move toward a fuller integration.
For Hucker, the transaction carries personal weight. He has led Winn-Dixie and its predecessor, Southeastern Grocers, through a turbulent stretch that included the 2025 ALDI divestiture.
“Winn-Dixie has always been more than a business to me; it is home,” said Hucker. He expressed confidence in Rhee and the broader leadership team steering the company forward.
Notably, this isn’t the first chapter in the C&S-Winn-Dixie story. C&S began operating Winn-Dixie distribution centers back in 2013, establishing a supply chain relationship that predates the current ownership talks by more than a decade.
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A Rebranded Retailer Eyes Growth Under Its New Owner
The timing follows another milestone for the retailer. Southeastern Grocers officially became The Winn-Dixie Co. on Jan. 21, 2026, uniting its stores under one banner, Abasto Media reported.
With that rebrand complete, the company is now turning toward expansion. According to the release, the strategic growth plan includes several priorities. Winn-Dixie plans to refresh its brand and customer experience. It also intends to open new stores and renovate existing locations. Own Brands products remain a growth focus as well.
C&S framed the ownership change as a way to unlock those plans. As Winn-Dixie’s incoming majority owner, the company says it can help resolve structural costs and strengthen supply chain capabilities.
What It Means for the Grocery Industry
The deal reflects a broader pattern reshaping grocery retail. Wholesale distributors are increasingly moving into direct retail ownership to capture more of the supply chain, rather than simply supplying it.
C&S already operates more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores nationwide. Its banners include D&W Fresh Market, Grand Union, Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets and Piggly Wiggly.
Founded in 1918, C&S has grown into one of the country’s largest grocery supply chain companies. Its family of businesses now includes SpartanNash, Grocers Supply, Hansen Distribution Group and Davidson Specialty Foods. The company operates 60 distribution centers across the United States.
For competitors and suppliers in the Southeast, the deal is worth watching closely. A stronger, better-capitalized Winn-Dixie could intensify competition for market share in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
It may also reshape supplier negotiations. Vendors serving Winn-Dixie stores could see procurement decisions increasingly routed through C&S’s broader distribution network once the deal closes.
As Winn added in the release, “I look forward to welcoming Winn-Dixie team members into the C&S family.” For an industry watching consolidation trends closely, that welcome builds on a legacy already two decades in the making.