Much of the interest has centered around whether customers still will be able to get the popular rainbow cookies, microwave-ready Spinach Supreme side dishes as well as dozens of other baked goods, sandwiches, and prepared entrees. Many of the items are sold exclusively at local Martin’s stores.

“It’s exciting to hear that the emotional connectivity to the food we have been preparing for more than 40 years is as strong as ever,” Ukrop said.

“We can assure everyone that a broad offering of bakery and kitchen foods such as Ukrop’s decorated cakes, wedding cakes, pies, cookies, entrees, sides and other prepared foods will be available at fine retailers in Richmond, through our catering division, and/or in conveniently located pickup locations throughout the RVA area,” Ukrop said. “We will keep you posted in the coming months as details are confirmed.”

Dutch retail conglomerate Ahold is selling the local Martin’s stores as a way to satisfy federal regulators so it can merge with Belgian-based Delhaize Group, which owns the Food Lion chain.

But Publix is not buying nine other Martin’s stores. Those remaining locations would operate for six months to a year until those stores can be sold, Ahold said, but that company does not expect to operate them after that point.