The Fresh Market Attracts Attention With New Store in Florida
Specialty grocer The Fresh Market has opened its 48th store in the state of Florida and its 162nd store overall. Located at 11525 SR 70 E in Lakewood Ranch, the 24,034-square-foot store offers full-service produce, deli, meat, seafood and floral departments, in addition to a variety of specialty products, including wine and cheese.
Center store restaurant-quality offerings include in-house smoked pit barbecue featuring fresh brisket, ribs and pork; hot and fresh pizza; a large variety of scooping salads; and an olive bar and soup station.
For beverages, full- and self-service coffee stations offer various drink options. A coffee café bar adjacent to stations features iced and hot coffees, lattes, mochas, and hot tea from Republic of Tea, in addition to The Fresh Market roasted beans available for purchase. The coffee area also provides fresh breakfast and pastry options, along with fresh smoothies.
Customers can enjoy their coffee and meals inside or at covered outside seating areas.
Further, the Lakewood Ranch store touts a wide variety of bakery dessert options located within its brand-new bakery walk-around case.
“Our new store in Lakewood Ranch offers more than just fresh food; it's a place to grab a coffee with friends, enjoy a slice of Hot & Fresh pizza, or try a new smoothie,” said CEO Jason Potter. “With a full-service coffee station and a variety of ready-to-eat options, The Fresh Market is a go-to for quick bites, dinner solutions and everyday occasions. We're thrilled to be part of this community and bring the best of The Fresh Market to Lakewood Ranch, Fla.”
To celebrate the grand opening, the first 500 customers received a customized Lakewood Ranch shopping bag. In addition, a “bread-breaking” ceremony, vendor sampling, specialty presentations, giveaways, live music performed by award-winning international concert cellist Steve Kramer, and a $2,000 check presentation to Feeding Tampa Bay were all part of Lakewood Ranch shoppers' official welcome to The Fresh Market.
The Lakewood Ranch location is the ninth Fresh Market store to provide ongoing weekly food donations to Feeding Tampa Bay, bolstering the food bank's efforts to feed those facing hunger, in collaboration with its network of more than 400 partners across the area.
The new store is open seven days a week, with operating hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Fresh Market opened its 47th Florida store in September 2023 in Port St. Lucie. Florida is a fast-growing state that is part of the company's previously revealed plans to open as many as 22 stores over the next two years.
"Florida is a key part of our existing business, and we will continue to invest in our network and people to give Floridians the very best experience," said Potter in an exclusive interview with Progressive Grocer. "We've spent some time in Florida focused on things like the decor and how to enhance the consumer experience, and we will be making those changes next year.”
Greensboro, N.C.-based The Fresh Market operates 162 stores in 22 states. The grocer is No. 76 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
