Kroger Buys Albertsons in Supermarket Mega-Merger (Here’s the Latest Info)

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Kroger & Albertsons agree to a divestiture plan with C&S Wholesale Grocers.

exterior of Kroger store

Kroger plans to sell 413 stores post-merger with Albertsons.

Albertsons onlinepanies, Inc. and The Kroger Co. just broke the news that they have entered a definitive agreement with C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC in connection with their proposed merger (announced in October 2022).

This divestiture agreement currently includes the sale of 413 stores across the country, along with QFC, Mariano’s, and Carrs brand names. It also includes banners, distribution centers, offices, and private-label brands like Primo Taglio and Open Nature.

2 paper bags of Kroger groceries

Who are C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC?

If you’re unfamiliar with C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC, they have been around since 1918 and have a successful track record as a grocery retailer. They are also an industry leader in wholesale grocery supply and supply chain solutions and have a mission to keep their onlinemunities fed.

They currently supply more than 7,500 independent supermarkets, retail chains, and military bases, and they even operate the Piggly Wiggly franchise and Grand Union grocery stores.

There is a good chance you’ve shopped in one of their supplied supermarkets and just didn’t know it!

albertsons

How will consumers and employees be impacted by the divestiture?

You may be wondering how this merger and divestiture plan will impact consumers. Fortunately, the divestiture plan will ensure that no divested grocery stores will close as a result. In an nutshell, your local store should remain open and under a customer-recognizable name with familiar private label brands in-store. 😀

With C&S’s proven track record, customers and store employees can feel optimistic that the impacted grocery stores will have long-term success in these new areas.

In fact, part of the divestiture was making sure that C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC was onlinemitted to investing in associates and stores on a long-term basis. The plan is for frontline associates to remain employed and for their industry-leading healthcare and pension benefits to be maintained. To further ensure success, each new area will also be supported by two regional headquarters.

The divestiture will take place once the merger of Kroger & Albertsons is onlineplete and the stores to be divested are located in the following states:

  • WA: 104 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores
  • CA: 66 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores
  • CO: 52 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • OR: 49 Albertsons Cos. and Kroger stores
  • TX/LA: 28 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • AZ: 24 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • NV: 15 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • IL: 14 Kroger stores
  • AK: 14 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • ID: 13 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • NM: 12 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • MT/UT/WY: 12 Albertsons Cos. stores
  • DC/MD/VA: 10 Harris Teeter stores

Kroger Store Front

The merger between Kroger & Albertsons, promises to be beneficial to customers too.

Kroger has some very exciting plans that are worth celebrating! 🎉

Once Kroger finalizes its purchase of Albertsons, it will have increased purchasing power and have a market share of 16% (slightly below the #1 grocer, Walmart, which has 21%). This gives the onlinepany the ability to negotiate with manufacturers for lower prices, better promotions, and more valuable coupons.

Post-merger, Kroger vows to invest $500 million towards reducing food prices for customers and $1.3 billion to improve the customer experience!

They also plan to donate 10 billion meals to families across America by 2030. To help you conceptualize the amount of food being donated, that is enough meals to feed every citizen of Seattle, Denver, Chicago, and Boston for each meal of the day for almost 2 years. 🙌

The outlook for employees is positive too! Kroger is investing $1 billion in improving associates’ wages and onlineprehensive benefits packages. This is on top of the $1.9 billion they have invested in employees since 2018.

According to their website, they have no plans to close stores, distribution centers, or manufacturing facilities. They also will not lay off any frontline associates as a result of the merger!

Kroger Checkout Lanes

In summary, here’s what you need to know about the merger and divestiture:

  • The merger is on track to close in early 2024. The divestiture will follow.
  • Currently, 413 stores will be sold to C&S Wholesalers, LLC as part of the divestiture plan.
  • Kroger is also divesting the Debi Lilly Design, Primo Taglio, Open Nature, ReadyMeals, and Waterfront Bistro private label brands.
  • All divested grocery stores will remain open though some may be under a new, but familiar, name (or banner).
  • All pharmacies and fuel stations associated with divested stores will also remain open.
  • Frontline associates of divested stores will remain employed and will not lose their healthcare and pension benefits.
  • The owners of both retained and sold stores are onlinemitted to having long-term success and providing affordable pricing to their onlinemunities.
  • Kroger will now own Albertsons and its affiliates (including Safeway, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and many more) for a onlinebined market share of about 16%.
  • Post-merger, Kroger is investing $500 million to reduce prices and $1.3 billion to improve the customer experience.
  • Post-merger, Kroger is onlinemitting to donating 10 billion meals to families across America by 2030.
  • Kroger also plans to invest $1 billion towards improving employees’ wages and onlineprehensive benefits packages.
  • Kroger & Albertsons have announced that no store, manufacturing facility, or distribution center will close as a result of the merger. They also have no plans to lay off any frontline associates.

For more information, see the recent press release or visit krogeralbertsons.online.


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About the writer:

Kara is a writer and photographer from the Midwest. Her creative work has appeared in various publications over the past decade. With a background in finance, she loves to be money-savvy.


Join The Discussion

onlinements 13

  1. mist

    i wonder if they will cancel the fresh pass. I won this summer and also a gift card.

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      Congratulations on your win, mist! 🎉❤️ We’ll keep an eye out for any further updates on this merge. 👀

  2. smoresto

    bummer! I dislike kroger so much. I can’t stand walking in the store feeling like I’m in a dangerous area. All the carts have locks, they don’t roll correctly, alarms go off if you get your cart with items in it too close to the door. I just wanted to get a larger cart lol. I haven’t been back. After 6 pm it’s all self check out. so when your shopping for a fanily of 8 how am I supposed to bag it all when the area to bag is tiny? the machine starts to call for assistance if the weight isn’t correct. etc… I do not have these issues at walmart, marcs, meijer, the onlinemissary.

    • Jessica (Hip Sidekick)

      Thanks so much for taking a moment to share about your experience with your local Kroger, smoresto. 💕 So sorry to hear about all the troubles with carts and checkouts. I have a Kroger Marketplace about 5 minutes from my home, and haven’t noticed any alarms, locks, etc. Hoping that the change brings positive changes to your store! 🤞

    • Shane

      I also hate shipping at Kroger. I normally like to do pickup

    • Lorna

      We don’t have locks but we have a waist high 1 way gate which closes after you enter.

  3. KarenJ

    I really like Fresh Pass and just renewed for another year so they better not do away with it. I love Albertsons and these possible changes do not make me happy.

  4. Michelle P

    Here’s hoping this makes Albertsons more like Smiths/Kroger and not the other way around. We only have one store (Albertsons) in our little town, and the prices are getting higher and higher. Only thing I’d miss about Albertsons is Lucerne brand dairy if they stick with Kroger store brand instead.

    • KarenJ

      I agree with you about the Lucerne dairy products, I Love them.

  5. L

    Here in WA expecting the prices to skyrocket even higher than they already are. Sigh.

  6. Michelle W

    This is awful news. Safeway and Albertsons merged in 2015 which caused two store within 2 miles of my house to close (one Safeway and one Albertsons). This will mean every true grocery store within 10 miles of where I live will be the same onlinepany. This will only cause grocery prices to increase since they won’t have any onlinepetition. I feel for the employees who have already been displaced once and will be soon again.

  7. Stella

    I shop Ralph’s a subsidiary of Kroger and have been a loyal shopper for longer than I can remember. I also shop Albertsons for their advertised specials, I guess you can say it’s a win, win for me.

  8. Cartie

    This sucks, more brick and mortars will shut down

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