UNFI completes Supervalu acquisition; 19 Shop ’n Save stores to close

On Oct. 22, 2018, United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) completed its acquisition of Supervalu announced in July. The combined entity will be led by UNFI’s Chairman and CEO Steve Spinner and Sean Griffin, previously UNFI’s COO, who will serve as CEO of Supervalu and Head of the Integration Committee.

“Today is an important milestone for UNFI. We will take the best from both businesses to create North America’s premier food wholesaler with significant scale, reach and choices for our customers. We are pleased to welcome our new colleagues from Supervalu as well as their customers and suppliers to UNFI.  Our companies share customer-centric cultures and dedicated associates who are committed to continuous improvement, which will help drive our integration programs,” Spinner said.

On Thursday Supervalu announced that it will close 16 Shop ‘n Save locations and a distribution center by mid-November as the company has been unable to find a buyer for the stores. The announcement will affect more than 1,300 Shop ‘n Save employees, who will be laid off.   

In September 2018, Supervalu announced it would sell 19 Shop ‘n Save locations, Schnuck Markets and close the remaining Shop ‘n Save supermarkets if no buyers were found.