Haggen Acquires 146 Albertson’s and Safeway Stores

Haggen officials announced the company entered into an agreement to acquire 146 Albertson’s and Safeway stores. This acquisition follows a mandate from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) review of the Albertson’s and Safeway merger. The FTC is requiring Albertson’s and Safeway to sell 168 stores as part of the two companies’ $7.6 billion merger.

Haggen’s purchase signals significant growth for the prominent Northwest grocer. Haggen will transition from 18 stores and 16 pharmacies in Washington and Oregon to 164 stores with 106 pharmacies along the West Coast including California, Nevada and Arizona. As a result of this purchase, Haggen will expand from 2,000 to more than 10,000 employees. Following the transaction, which is anticipated to close in early 2015, Haggen officials plan to convert all of the acquired Albertson’s and Safeway stores to the Haggen banner during the first half of 2015. Albertson’s and Safeway employees will have the chance to become Haggen employees as the stores are transitioned to the Haggen banner. Haggen officials plan to retain its current store management employees.  

The new and much larger Haggen will be led by two CEOs, John Clougher and Bill Shaner. Clougher will oversee the Pacific Northwest region, comprised of the northern division of Washington and Oregon, and Shaner is responsible for the Pacific Southwest, encompassing the southern division of California, Nevada and Arizona.