German grocery retailer Aldi and Florida-based Publix announced that they are in negotiations and contracts for leased locations of Lucky's Market, reports the Orlando Business Journal.

Publix already has confirmed that it will buy five Lucky's Market leases in Florida while Aldi is still in the process for negotiations for several locations in the state.

After Lucky's announced that it will close 32 of its 39 U.S. stores following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on Jan. 27, the Colorado-based retailer said it signed a purchase agreement of five leased stores in Florida.

Publix's contract with Lucky's includes five locations, detailed spokesperson Maria Brous to the Journal. "We are currently in the due diligence process," she told them. Publix reported an annual revenue of $36.1bn in 2018 and has more than 140 Central Florida locations.

Aldi, on the other hand, confirmed in an email to the Orlando Business Journal that the company is currently in negotiations "among other innovative real estate strategies". Further, vice president of national real estate for Aldi U.S. said that "site acquisitions are an important part of our growth efforts.

We are pleased to continue to invest in Florida,". Although the details aren't yet sorted out, Gavin explained to the newspaper that Aldi could open as many as 20 new stores in Florida in 2020.

Today, the company has more than 144 stores and two distribution centers in Florida. The grocer opened its first Florida store in 2008.

20 of Lucky's 21 stores in the state will be closed, the location in West Melbourne being the only remaining store.

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