Winn-Dixie Case Study: 5x AI Visibility in ChatGPT

The Challenge: Preserving a Century-Long Legacy While Looking to the Future

As Southeastern Grocers (SEG) prepared to rebrand as The Winn-Dixie Company in 2025, they faced a defining question: how could a century-old grocery institution stay relevant while their customers are fundamentally changing how they shop? This meant being present to customers where they are - who are now starting their Grocery-Shopping Journeys on AI platforms. The data is stark:

• 61% of US consumers were already using AI tools for meal planning and grocery shopping

• 66% of Hispanic adults – a core demographic for SEG's Florida markets – were actively using ChatGPT and similar platforms

• For the first time in 20 years, Google search volume was declining as shoppers turned to conversational AI

The Solution: Azoma's End-to-End AI Visibility Platform

Azoma deployed their patented Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) technology to transform Winn-Dixie's AI presence:

1. Deep Customer Intelligence

Using their Digital Twin technology, Azoma analyzed over 3 million prompts to understand how Winn-Dixie's target personas – particularly budget-conscious families in Florida – were actually talking to AI about groceries. Key discovery topics included:

• Meal prep and affordability

• Cooking skills and ingredient sourcing

• Community and nutrition

2. Strategic Content Generation

Based on these insights, Azoma generated hundreds of on-trend, AI-optimized recipes tailored to Winn-Dixie's brand voice and customer preferences (see here). Each recipe was designed to capture high-intent AI searches while showcasing Winn-Dixie's value proposition.

3. Citation Network Building

Azoma's AI Visibility Engineers strategically enhanced Winn-Dixie's presence across the web's most AI-cited sources:

• Added Winn-Dixie to high-authority Wikipedia pages like "Cuisine of the Southern United States"

• Identified and secured mentions on blogs frequently cited by AI platforms

The Results: From Invisible to Industry-Leading

The impact was transformative:

5X Increase in AI Visibility

Winn-Dixie's visibility score in ChatGPT increased 500% over the pilot period, with consistent month-over-month growth.

32% Market Share Gain

When AI platforms recommended grocery stores, Winn-Dixie's share of mentions increased by 32%, taking market share directly from competitors like Publix and Kroger.

3X Traffic Growth

ChatGPT went from driving minimal traffic to becoming a powerhouse channel – now driving more organic traffic than Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp combined.

5X Higher Conversion Rate

Visitors from AI platforms showed purchase intent 5 times higher than traditional search traffic, validating the quality of AI-driven discovery.

Why This Matters for Every Retailer

As Apple's Senior VP Eddy Cue testified in Google's antitrust trial: "Last month, search volume actually went down. That has never happened in 20 years... People are using ChatGPT. They're using Perplexity."

For grocery retailers serving diverse, tech-forward communities, the message is clear: customers have already shifted to AI discovery. The question isn't whether to optimize for AI, but how quickly you can catch up to where your customers already are.

Azoma is the AI optimization platform trusted by Mars, L'Oréal, P&G, and other Fortune 500 brands to control their narrative in AI conversations. Our patented technology ensures your brand appears when and how it matters most in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI platforms.

Ready to 5X your AI visibility? Book some time with our team here