Dive Brief:
- Parker’s Kitchen plans to open its first Florida store in late October, the company announced on Tuesday.
- The site in Yulee, Florida — about 25 miles north of downtown Jacksonville — stands near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Highway 200. Nearby competitors include Circle K, Wawa and RaceWay, according to Google Maps.
- Parker’s said in the announcement that it plans to open “a record number of stores in 2027,” including 12 in Florida by the end of next year, one of which will be a truck stop.
Dive Insight:
Parker’s, which currently has 111 stores in Georgia and South Carolina, is pursuing an expansion that could bring its network to more than 200 stores through 2030. Stepping into the Jacksonville market will help reach that goal. The retailer expects to have six additional sites in Florida under construction in the first quarter of 2027, per the announcement.
“Entering Florida represents an important step in Parker’s Kitchen’s long-term growth strategy,” said Parker’s Kitchen CEO John Rudolfs in the announcement. “As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we’re continuing to build on a strong foundation by expanding into markets where we see meaningful opportunities for growth. North Florida is a natural extension of our footprint.”
In addition to the upcoming Florida debut, the company recently opened two locations in South Carolina.
In July, it opened a store in North Myrtle Beach, around 11 miles from the North Carolina border. Earlier this month, the company also opened in Lexington, South Carolina, marking its first site in the metro Columbia market. The retailer plans to open additional stores in both markets, according to Tuesday’s announcement.
Parker’s growth plans also include opening five to six additional truck stops, according to the spokesperson, who said Parker’s already operates 18 such sites.
“We’re thrilled to accelerate our robust growth plans by opening new stores in exciting new markets and meeting the needs of customers across the Southeast,” said Parker’s Kitchen founder and Executive Chairman Greg Parker.
Every Parker’s store features the retailer’s Southern-inspired fresh food menu, which includes fried chicken, sandwiches, breakfast items and sides.
Parker’s latest expansion update comes shortly after the retailer returned to a single CEO structure. Co-CEO Brandon Hofmann left the company on Sept. 4 to pursue other opportunities, a spokesperson said earlier this month.
