Retail Watchers

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/ ... rance.html

" The buyers of the 86 stores being divested are:

New Albertson's, Inc.(part of Albertsons Companies based in Idaho), purchasing 1 Giant Food store in Salisbury, Maryland;
Big Y (based in Massachusetts), purchasing 8 Hannaford stores in eastern Massachusetts;
Publix (based in Florida), purchasing 10 MARTIN'S stores in Richmond, Virginia;
Saubel's Markets (based in Pennsylvania), purchasing 1 Food Lion store in York, Pennsylvania
Supervalu (based in Minnesota), purchasing 22 Food Lion stores in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia;
Tops Markets (based in New York), purchasing 1 Stop & Shop store in Massachusetts as well as 3 Stop & Shop stores and 2 Hannaford stores in New York; and
Weis Markets (based in Pennsylvania), purchasing 38 Food Lion stores in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia."

storewanderer wrote:https://globenewswire.com/news-release/ ... rance.html

" The buyers of the 86 stores being divested are:

New Albertson's, Inc.(part of Albertsons Companies based in Idaho), purchasing 1 Giant Food store in Salisbury, Maryland;
Big Y (based in Massachusetts), purchasing 8 Hannaford stores in eastern Massachusetts;
Publix (based in Florida), purchasing 10 MARTIN'S stores in Richmond, Virginia;
Saubel's Markets (based in Pennsylvania), purchasing 1 Food Lion store in York, Pennsylvania
Supervalu (based in Minnesota), purchasing 22 Food Lion stores in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia;
Tops Markets (based in New York), purchasing 1 Stop & Shop store in Massachusetts as well as 3 Stop & Shop stores and 2 Hannaford stores in New York; and
Weis Markets (based in Pennsylvania), purchasing 38 Food Lion stores in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia."

Other than Saubel's who may be able to do it anyways (going from 3 stores to 4) this is a very capable lineup and will perform much better than the Haggen fiasco. Also no new markets for these grocers (other than Publix who will do fine) as far as I can tell which will also increase the chances for success greatly.

Not surprising to see so many Food Lion stores be divested.

Smart to get rid of the weakest link in the roster.

The majority of the divestitures are 71 Food Lion stores.

Weis Markets' acquisition of 38 of those stores will allow it to enter two new states, Delaware and Virginia. I think Weis Markets has opportunities to improve these stores including the addition of pharmacy and fuel.

veteran+ wrote:Not surprising to see so many Food Lion stores be divested.

Smart to get rid of the weakest link in the roster.

I am glad there are participants who want to take a risk with Food Lion's stores. Supervalu and Weis Markets will have their work laid out.

lake wrote:Other than Saubel's who may be able to do it anyways (going from 3 stores to 4) this is a very capable lineup and will perform much better than the Haggen fiasco. Also no new markets for these grocers (other than Publix who will do fine) as far as I can tell which will also increase the chances for success greatly.

There is one (or two) "new markets" in the Tops acquisition.

They have stores in NY state, but most are further to the west. They did get a few old Grand Union locations in and around the Catskills, so the 5 NY locations are not too far (but probably at least 1 hour) from existing stores, and the existing stores are quite scattered as well.
However, they have not had any stores in MA so that is a totally new one (and not even a part of MA close to either NY or VT where they have stores).

One has to wonder if they still have some sort of "background connections" from the time when they too were a division of Ahold a few years back?

Knight wrote:I am glad there are participants who want to take a risk with Food Lion's stores. Supervalu and Weis Markets will have their work laid out.

Knight wrote:The majority of the divestitures are 71 Food Lion stores.
Weis Markets' acquisition of 38 of those stores will allow it to enter two new states, Delaware and Virginia. I think Weis Markets has opportunities to improve these stores including the addition of pharmacy and fuel.

Seems to make sense, since Weis has (or fairly recently still had) older, smaller locations so they have some experience with fitting things into a smaller building.