In this blog post we’d like to take a look at two different supermarkets in the Clermont area, which one we’ll probably be using most often, and why.  We’re also going to compare and contrast the prices here versus what we were paying in Wisconsin.  To begin with, you must know that up to now we are loyal food shoppers.  We usually only frequent one grocery store on a regular basis.  We will on occasion pick a few items up from Wal-Mart, but they typically are items that are the Wal-Mart brand and not available anywhere else.

Prior to moving to Clermont, we researched grocery stores in the area and knew there were two stores we wanted to check out:  Publix and Sweet Bay Supermarkets.  We’ll start with Publix.

Publix has five different locations in the Clermont area:

• Citrus Tower Village  (250 Citrus Tower Blvd)
• Publix at Kings Ridge  (4351 S Highway 27)
• East Towne Center  (13900 County Road 455)
• Golden Eagle Village  (2430 US Highway 27)
• Publix at Summer Bay  (17445 US Highway 192 Ste 11)

Publix’s ads run from Thursday to Wednesday, and offer some pretty decent savings.  For example, this week Tombstone Pizza is 2.99 each, red seedless grapes $1.69/lb, sweet cherries $1.99/lb, and several buy one get one free deals.   We felt Publix was very similar to our Festival Foods:  there is no loyalty customer card, the employees are super friendly, and it seems to place the customer as its main priority.  The non-sale prices, however, are quite high.   The average price on cold cereal is $4.99/box ($3.39 in Wis), and a small can of mushrooms was $1.75 ($.65 in Wis).  A couple of observations:  the price of jam seems to be cheaper, eggs are about the same, the store brand of hot dog buns are the freshest we’ve ever purchased, and the oranges were the best we’ve ever had.    Overall, Publix is a great place to shop to get the weekly deals, but too expensive to make it the only store to shop at.

Sweet Bay Supermarket has two locations in Clermont:  1718 E Hwy 50 and 1714 US Hwy 27.  The sale prices do not seem as eye-grabbing as Publix’s, but the prices overall are lower and fairly comparable to Wisconsin.  For example, a 6-pk of Coke products for $2.99, Kraft Mac & Cheese $.79 and Taco Bell dinner kit for $2.59.  This supermarket will mostly likely end up being our store of choice for most groceries that we need to purchase on a weekly basis.

There are some items that are higher irregardless of where we shop.  Milk is one example.  In Wisconsin the price of a gallon of 2% milk was $2.95.  In Clermont it averages about $3.49  per gallon. We bought a half gallon of Sweet Bay milk and a half gallon of Publix milk to judge taste, as being from Wisconsin, a dairy state; we are kind of picky on the taste of milk.  My kids are happy to report that Sweet Bay milk has passed their taste test; no verdict yet on the Publix milk.  One thing we will need to get used to is the small dairy section in the stores.  🙂  It’s about a fourth of the size of what we are used to.

Thanks for following along!  We have quite a few blog posts planned, so keep checking in and hopefully we’ll get them out to you soon!

Have a magical day!