FLORENCE, S.C. — When the first Publix in the Pee Dee opens next month in Florence, its leftover bakery, produce and dairy items are slated to go to Harvest Hope Food Bank, which runs a Florence location.
The supermarket at Palmetto Place is set to open its doors at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18, according to a Publix press release, with a grand opening celebration that day. The store covers 46,791 square feet and will employ about 140 associates.
Publix works with the Feeding America network, and each day staff pull food that is still safe to eat but not up to shelf standards. For the food bank, the big gain is perishable goods such as meat and dairy, which it cannot take from ordinary food drives under food safety rules.
The timing matters. The number of people getting food through Harvest Hope is up roughly 20 percent from last year, and higher prices have cut into what stores have left over to give.
By the chain’s count, its stores have given away upward of 1 billion pounds of food since 2009. Publix also raised over $50 million for United Way chapters in 2025, and spokesman Jared Glover said the company was drawn to Florence by its growth.
Section: More Florence SC business news
Florence business profiles
Filed under: Florence SC Business News
