If the Kroger-Albertson’s merger goes through (late August 2024), then the OC Albertson’s and Safeway stores would be sold to New Hampshire-based C&S Wholesale Grocers (Piggly-Wiggly, Grand Union).
Just what grocery stores need:
Less Competition!So in my area, I think it will result in more competition because the C&S brands are not common here or non existent, so a bunch of the Kroger stores (which is basically all of our traditional grocery stores currently, I’m not even sure there are Albertsons anywhere near) are going to be taken over by these “exotic” PigglyWigglies and such. I could be wrong because I don’t really know who owns all of the brands.
Any Safeway stores? They’re owned by Albertsons and are the majority of stores they’re planning on selling if they’re allowed to merge with Kroger.
Oh you’re right, we do have a lot of Safeways. For some reason I thought they were Kroger. I guess that’s the trade, then. I don’t care for Safeway, so I’m still optimistic
Albertsons and Safeway never should have been allowed to merge in the first place. There was a lot of location swapping like this, involving some locations going to the Haggen company, in the name of the competition.
Haggen was a small family owned chain from up north, a bit more expensive and niche than the Safeways had been. The kids of the early owners wanted out and sold to a capital firm. Two years after picking up the Safeway stores, the Haggen chain went bankrupt and Albertsons ‘agreed’ to acquire them, as if it was a favor. More like they engineered a fire sale and someone made out big. It’s ridiculous what is being allowed to happen.
If Safeway and Kroger brands merge, I would have 6 Kroger stores of various brands within 5 minutes of me. The only non Kroger choice would be 1 Trader Joe’s and a co-op. Especially since the Sprouts built a custom building, were there for 2 years, and left it vacant. What a waste of space they all are. I refuse to shop at any Kroger or Safeway since the merger was announced, and I won’t shop at these spin off stores either. But I’m lucky I can make that choice. People who are forced to shop there now will only see price increases and less choice of brands.
All the Fred Meyer and QFC stores have been SAD to shop at since the pandemic when I did venture in. Terrible layout, lame inventory and unhappy staff.
Screw them. Bust up these ridiculous monopolies.
I loved the OC Haggen before they closed from all the chicanery. Haven’t shopped the WinCo that replaced it yet mainly because I don’t carry cash or my physical debit card (anyone know if they take debit card tap-to-pay?).
Really seems like they’re trying to offload the Safeway stores and keep the Fred Meyer stores. That’s pretty much all the Safeways around the Portland district.
What does it mean for the employees working there?
