Publix Super Markets Inc. announced it will enter the Asheville and Cary markets in North Carolina.

The Asheville store, located in Buncombe County, will be at the southeast corner of Hendersonville and Overlook. The 49,000-sq-ft Publix supermarket will include a drive-thru pharmacy and is expected to open in 2015.

The Cary store, located in Wake County, will be at the northeast corner of High House and Davis in the Bradford Shopping Center. The 49,000-sq-ft Publix supermarket grand opening date will depend on several factors, including permitting and completion of the store’s construction; however, the opening is tentatively planned for late 2014.

“We’ve made a commitment to North Carolina and its residents to bring our level of stellar service and quality products to market in order to provide customers with the superior shopping experience they deserve,” says Maria Brous, Publix media and community relations director. “As company owners, we are passionately focused on our customers. We believe that if we take care of our associates, they in turn will take care of our customers, and together we will make our communities a better place. This is our culture, and we are excited about sharing it with North Carolina just as we have in the other five states in which we operate.”

Publix announced its first three North Carolina locations in

  • Ballantyne, located at Providence Road West and Johnston Road, opening in early 2014 and
  • Greater Charlotte, located at the intersection of South Boulevard and Iverson Way, opening in late 2014, and at the intersection of Matthews Mint Hill Road and Lawyers Road, opening in late 2014.

Publix continues to aggressively look for additional locations throughout the state of North Carolina as it strives to meet and exceed the expectations of the communities it will serve.