In the rapidly emerging niche of Cuban cuisine, there is a new godfather of “Nuevo Latino Cuisine”, Chef Doug Rodriguez. Rodriguez is making a big splash by tapping into a mystique that Americans have been in love with for decades. The result is an explosion of Cuban dishes, flavors and fine dining concepts onto the restaurant scene.
The New Year may not be a happy one for many Florida petroleum businesses thanks to sweeping new regulations put in place by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The new laws require all businesses with single-walled USTs and ASTs (underground storage tanks and above ground storage tanks) to upgrade to new double-walled tanks by December 31st, 2009. Those that have yet to heed the warnings may be in big trouble with the State of Florida, or may even find themselves out of business.
Despite having to navigate through shaky economic waters, Winn-Dixie has created a remodeling plan that may indeed change a lot of the old familiarities of the Winn-Dixie brand.
The Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando was home to the 2008 Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association’s (FPMA) Annual Convention and Trade Show, held July 19-23. A forum for the movers and shakers in the petroleum and convenience stores industries, the trade show featured the latest trends in service stations and convenience stores as well as most recent innovations in gas station and convenience store development and technology.
Publix Supermarkets is taking the high organic road as they seek to expand their GreenWise food brand throughout Florida and eventually, throughout the country in the form of newly-developed stores of the same name.
Sun Capital Partners, a private investment firm picked up two major purchases in May which increases their presence in North and South Carolina.
Sands Petroleum Development, a corporation focused on the development and refurbishing of one-stop gas stations and convenience stores in South Florida for over 21 years, is forging ahead with plans to build 14 brand-new sites in the Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Coast and Lee County markets in 2008, despite a grim economic outlook and a lagging real estate market.
As if gas demand and consumption, gas taxes and gas prices are not enough, Florida’s gas stations and convenience stores face another costly hurdle between now and the end of next year. Florida is finally tightening down on violators of legislation passed eighteen years ago requiring new USTs (underground storage tanks). Under the current UST laws, all gas stations must upgrade their current underground storage systems.
Goya Foods of Florida, the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States, recently announced its plan to build a new $26-million manufacturing and distribution facility in Miami-Dade County. The 120,000 sq. ft. expansion is expected to create at least 30 additional jobs for the Miami-Dade area over the course of three years.
When it comes to the consumer marketplace, nothing is better for the consumer than a little friendly competition. Competition gives the consumers extensive choices, access to more variety and the benefit of lower prices. Central Florida discount grocers are about to see more competition enter the marketplace. For consumers, this means even more variety at the grocery store.