JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. has opened a prototype supermarket in Margate, Fla., that showcases its new "fresh and local" strategy.

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. has opened a prototype supermarket in Margate, Fla., that showcases its new "fresh and local" strategy.

The Southeast grocery chain said Wednesday that the Margate store replaces an older unit, which has been closed, and offers upgraded departments and expanded features — notably in the fresh foods areas — as well as products that reflect the neighborhood’s cultural diversity.

Features specific to the new Margate Winn-Dixie include a wood-burning rotisserie, an expanded deli department with an olive and bruschetta bar, and a wing bar. The store also carries a large selection of Hispanic and kosher items along with a wide assortment of specialty desserts, including imported delicacies from Italy and a customizable photo machine for cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods.

There’s also a whole bean coffee station, a candy shop, a floral department, and a seasonal merchandise and specialty gift section

Winn-Dixie kicked off its "fresh and local" store program earlier this year with the opening of a state-of-the-art prototype in Covington, La., north of New Orleans. The 55,000-square-foot store — the chain’s first newly constructed location since 2004 — sports a 24-foot-tall open entranceway highlighted by an outdoor farmer’s market that features fresh produce from local growers.

"Shoppers entering our new or remodeled stores now find themselves surrounded by colorful arrays of fresh produce, flowers and other perishables in a cleaner, modern and more attractive setting," Winn-Dixie chairman and chief executive officer Peter Lynch said in a statement on the Margate store opening. "In addition, our stores are now merchandised to fit the lifestyles of the communities we serve."

As the retailer moves forward with its remodeling plan, it said that it aims to continue to focus on neighborhood merchandising.

"This strategy goes to the heart of what our customers have told us is important to them," Lynch commented, "and it is what the shoppers of Margate can expect from their neighborhood grocer."

Winn-Dixie operates 515 supermarkets, including more than 400 in-store pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.