The final Winn-Dixie grocery stores operating in Alabama are preparing to close.

The shuttering is part of a broader restructuring announced this week by parent company Southeastern Grocers, which is significantly reducing its operations outside of Florida and South Georgia.

The company plans to sell or transition nearly all of its remaining Winn-Dixie locations outside its core markets in the coming months.

32 Winn-Dixie stores and eight Harveys Supermarkets across Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi are included in the transition, with only a limited number of locations expected to remain open in South Georgia.

Southeastern Grocers says the move is designed to support long-term growth while allowing the company to focus its resources on its strongest markets.

“In service of its strategic refocus to fuel long-term growth, SEG has made the difficult decision to transition ownership of most of its locations outside of Florida,” the company said.

The company acknowledged the impact the decision will have on communities that have supported the brand for generations.

“While this change enables the grocer to reinvest in the communities where its roots run deepest, it also marks the end of an important chapter in regions that have supported Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets for generations,” the release stated.

As part of the announcement, Southeastern Grocers also revealed it will change its corporate name to The Winn-Dixie Company, reflecting a renewed focus on the markets where the brand has its deepest historical ties.

Chairman and CEO Anthony Hucker highlighted that legacy in the same release, saying, “For a century, Winn-Dixie has proudly called Florida home.”

The latest changes follow several years of major shifts for the grocery chain. In 2023, discount grocer Aldi acquired more than 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations nationwide, with plans to convert many of the stores to the Aldi brand.

Earlier this year, a consortium of private investors purchased Southeastern Grocers from Aldi, a deal that included approximately 170 stores across multiple states.

For Alabama shoppers, the closure of the state’s last few Winn-Dixie locations bring an end to a familiar grocery option that once anchored neighborhoods and shopping centers across the state, as the company moves forward with a smaller and more concentrated footprint.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].