Grocery store prepared food and deli sections are having a moment. The number of consumers who chose deli-prepared foods in place of restaurant meals has more than doubled over the last decade, reaching 28% in 2025, according to The Food Industry Association.
Additionally, 53% of Americans say they regularly take a hybrid approach to their meals, combining deli-prepared elements with items from their kitchens.
“With more than half of Americans shopping for hybrid meal occasions, there’s a real opportunity for retailers to support lunches and dinner time,” FMI VP of Fresh Foods Rick Stein said in a statement accompanying the report. “Shoppers… want the flexibility to pair fresh, high-quality prepared items with ingredients at home, creating meals that balance time savings and meet their well-being goals.”
However, the group says becoming shoppers go-to prepared food destination isn’t as simple as just throwing some dishes on the hot bar and calling it a day.
“Having a signature item helps retailers ground their value proposition to the consumer,” FMI Senior Manager of Industry Relations Andrew Brown said. “This helps reduce decision fatigue, and if you deliver on quality and taste, you will have customers coming back again and again for that exact item.”
Publix, one of the south’s largest grocery store chains, has nailed that signature item directive.
Its “Pub Subs” have gone viral over the last few years, with social media users hyping their fresh ingredients, generous portion sizes, and flavor combinations. The chicken-finger sandwiches, in particular, have been major hits, with celebrities like Tom Holland sharing their appreciation for the hearty bites.
Publix has good news for Pub Sub fans — three new options will be added to the menu this spring.
Publix adds new Pub Subs to the lineup
In April, the grocery chain announced it would be adding three new subs and one sandwich to its Pub Sub menu.
“Publix Deli is entering a new era of flavor,” the company said in the announcement. “Our deli team set out to create something worthy of that same devoted following — one that builds on the legacy of taste and quality customers expect from us.”
All four entrees include brisket as their protein, a surprising decision considering Publix’s previous reliance on mass-producible mains like deli meat and chicken tenders.
“As we looked for the next right protein to build on [the Pub Sub] legacy, brisket stood out,” Publix Category Manager John Godke said. “During product testing panels, a Texas-based supplier well known for its smokehouse delivered the quality and consistency we were looking for. They helped bring this brisket experience to life.”
The new brisket lineup includes:
- Publix Deli Stacked Brisket and Brioche Sandwich — A half-pound of tender smoked brisket, drizzled with Sweet & Spicy BBQ sauce on a soft, buttery brioche roll.
- Publix Deli Spicy Brisket Sub — Smoked brisket layered with Boar’s Head 3-Pepper Colby Jack cheese, jalapenos, crispy Publix Fried Onions and Sweet & Spicy BBQ.
- Publix Deli Brisket, Lettuce and Tomato Sub — A classic option featuring smoky brisket paired with crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes and Sweet & Spicy BBQ sauce.
- Publix Southern Style Brisket Sub — A Southern-inspired sub stacked with smoked brisket, Publix cheddar, dill pickles, crispy Publix Fried Onions and Sweet & Spicy BBQ sauce.
Source: Publix
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Publix is dipping its toe into sweet treats
If you prefer sweet over savory, Publix has you covered. Earlier this year, the grocery chain dipped its toe into the dessert market, adding limited-time ice cream flavors and decadent cookies to its private label lineup.
In the frozen aisle, Publix added 19 new flavors in half-gallon and pint sizes. Some, like Root Beer Float, “take you back to the days of old-fashioned soda shops,” while others, like Bourbon Praline Crumble, “deliver an elevated, yet playful, experience.”
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Meanwhile, in the stores’ bakery sections, four new types of decadent, fresh-baked cookies went on sale in March. Shoppers can choose between vanilla celebration, double chocolate, double cookies and cream, or raspberry cream cheese to satisfy their next craving.
Publix’s little sweet treats are sure to be a hit with consumers. Some 62% of Americans now consider small indulgences a part of their daily self-care routine, according to data from Circana. Of that number, 47% define a little sweet treat as a sweet snack, with preferred forms being ice cream (56%), chocolate and candy bars (52%), and baked goods including cookies (41%).
With an overwhelming majority (57%) purchasing their little sweet treats at grocery stores, Publix’s new dessert releases are perfectly primed to become the next big viral trend.
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