A Lakeland production company is releasing a documentary film about Publix Super Markets founder George Jenkins.
The film by NFocus looks at Jenkins' humble beginnings working at his father's general store in rural Georgia and his rise to business titan.
In an old interview clip featured in the film, Jenkins talks about the types of food sold in the general store.
"We didn't sell many groceries," he said. "Just the very staples. Lard and sugar and flour and coffee."
Jenkins made money by cleaning up peanut shells from the floor of the family store. He opened his first Publix store in Winter Haven in 1930.
Publix continued to grow over the decades and the chain now has more than a thousand stores and does nearly $30 billion a year in sales.
Obviously Jenkins was an ambitious man, but the people who knew him well say he took his parents' advice about the true keys to success.
"You have abilities and talents and you need to figure out what they are and you need to use them," said Jenkins' daughter Carol Jenkins Barnett in the film.
Jenkins was also noted for his giving nature. That's what producer Rob Tritton said he really learned by making the film.
"It goes well beyond the philanthropy but his generosity to his employees," Tritton said.
"He was just so generous," said long time Publix employee Ellis Hirsch.
Hirsch said when Jenkins learned he needed a little extra money to buy a home 41 years ago, Jenkins called him into his office and worked things out.
"He did more things for more people than anybody will ever know," said Hirsch.
"He was the greatest people person in the world," said former Lakeland mayor Frank O'Reilly. "He would go to the bag boys. He would go to the kid stocking the shelf in the back and say 'how are you doing.' Made them feel as if they were as important as the store manager or you or me or anyone else."
The film "Mr George" premiers to the public Friday at the Polk Theater in Lakeland.