"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Are Safeway and Kroger owned by the same company?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It took nearly a century before this rumor became reality, when Kroger announced in 2022 that it would acquire Safeway's parent company, Albertsons. In the 1930s, Kroger Grocery and Baking Company became the first grocery chain to monitor product quality and to test foods offered to customers."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who is bigger, Kroger or Albertsons?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It had nearly double the retail sales of the next chain, Albertsons. Founded in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio (where it is still headquartered), by Bernard Kroger, The Kroger Co. has become the largest supermarket chain in the United States and the one of the largest overall retailers, behind the retailing giant, Walmart."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Jewel-Osco owned by Kroger?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Kroger owns the Mariano's brand, while Albertsons owns Jewel-Osco. A Kroger spokesperson said none of the stores will close. They would be divested to C&S Wholesale Grocers, the parent company of Piggly Wiggly and Grand Union supermarkets."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Does the Mormon Church own Albertsons?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not own any grocery stores. The only stores owned by the Church are Deseret Book (a religious book store) and Deseret Industries (a non-profit thrift store). The Albertson's stores are owned by SuperValu Inc. SuperValu is owned by individual shareholders."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who is Trader Joe's owned by?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"
Family of Theo Albrecht
"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns the most shares of Albertsons?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Who owns the most shares of Albertsons Companies (ACI)? VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS owns the most shares of Albertsons Companies (ACI)."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Kroger owned by Publix?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Is Publix owned by Kroger? Though I'm sure Kroger would love to take ownership of it, and expand their vast grocery empire, Publix is actually an employee owned and operated store, with no intention of selling to Kroger. They remain two separate entities, living to battle each other…"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns Aldi?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Owned by a German company called Albrecht Discounts, ALDI is a discount grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948. Decidedly no frills, the company stocks virtually all house-brand products, all offered at very low prices thanks to exclusive deals with their suppliers, many of which are big-name producers."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Fred Meyer owned by Walmart?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Fred Meyer is an American chain of hypermarket superstores founded in 1922 in Portland, Oregon, United States, by Fred G. Meyer. The stores operate in the northwest U.S., with locations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. The company was acquired by Kroger in 1998, though the stores are still branded Fred Meyer."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Has the FTC sued to block the Kroger Albertsons merger?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Case Summary. The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the largest proposed supermarket merger in U.S. history—Kroger Company's $24.6 billion acquisition of the Albertsons Companies, Inc. —alleging that the deal is anticompetitive."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Did the judge halt the Kroger Albertsons merger in Colorado?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A Colorado judge has issued an order temporarily blocking the proposed $24.6 billion merger between the nation's two largest supermarket chains ahead of an antitrust trial in state court set to begin in September."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Kroger Albertsons $25 BLN deal halted until Colorado trial in September?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"July 25 (Reuters) - The proposed $25 billion merger of Kroger and Albertsons has been halted until the Colorado District Court rules on a lawsuit filed to block the deal that is expected to push up grocery prices, State Attorney General Phil Weiser said on Thursday. \"The trial is set to begin on Sept."}}]}}

CEOs of Albertsons and Kroger says shoppers would see lower prices after merger (2024)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The chief executive officers of Kroger and Albertsons insisted Wednesday — under questioning from the federal government — that merging would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like Walmart, Costco and Amazon.

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen and Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran appeared in Oregon’s U.S. District Court to testify against the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to block the proposed merger of their companies. During the hearing, the commission’s lawyers suggested that the merger would hurt competition in certain areas where the two are each other’s primary rivals.

“The day that we merge is the day that we will begin lowering prices,” McMullen said while under questioning by a lawyer representing his company.

The two companies proposed what would be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history in October 2022, after Kroger agreed to purchase Albertsons. But the Federal Trade Commission sued to prevent the $24.6 billion deal, alleging it would eliminate competition and lead to higher food prices for already struggling customers.

Addressing another issue that has worried shoppers in communities with both Albertsons and Kroger-run stores, McMullen said Kroger was committed to not closing any branches immediately if the merger is finalized but might down the road if it decides location changes or consolidations are needed.

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Kroger and Albertsons defend merger plan in federal court against US regulators’ objections

Sankaran, Albertsons’ CEO, argued that the deal would boost growth and in turn bolster stores and union jobs, because many of its and Kroger’s competitors, like Walmart, have few unionized workers. But when asked what his company would do if the merger didn’t go through, he said it may pursue “structural options” like laying off employees, closing stores and exiting certain markets, if unable to find other ways to lower costs.

“I would have to consider that,” he said. “It’s a dramatically different picture with the merger than without it.”

An FTC lawyer pointed to a written statement that Sankaran provided to the U.S. Senate in 2022 when testifying about the merger, in which he said his company was “in excellent financial condition.” Sankaran said the market and certain conditions had changed since then.

The testimonies of both CEOs were expected to be critical components of the three-week hearing, which is at its midpoint. What the two say under oath about prices, potential store closures and the impact on workers will likely be scrutinized in the years ahead if the merger goes through.

Kroger, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.

FTC attorneys have argued that in the 22 states where the two companies compete now, they closely match each other on price, quality, private label products and services like store pickup. Shoppers benefit from that competition and would lose out if the merger is allowed to proceed, they said.

According to Kroger and Albertsons company documents referred to by FTC lawyers on Wednesday, the two companies are primary rivals in multiple regions, from southern California to the Portland metropolitan area. A Kroger attorney countered by saying that Walmart remains Kroger’s largest competitor in a majority of markets around the country.

McMullen said that Albertsons’ prices are 10% to 12% higher than Kroger’s and that the merged company would try to reduce the disparity as part of a strategy for keeping customers. Walmart now controls around 22% of U.S. grocery sales. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13%.

“We know that pricing is going to continue to go down,” McMullen said.

The two CEOs also spoke to the ways in which e-commerce has transformed the grocery industry, noting Amazon’s online shopping platforms and its purchase of Whole Foods.

“When Amazon enters something, they make a big change,” Sankaran said.

The FTC and labor union leaders also claim that workers’ wages and benefits would decline if Kroger and Albertsons no longer compete with each other. They have additionally expressed concern that potential store closures could create so-called food and pharmacy “deserts” for consumers.

“America needs more competition, more grocery stores, and more leverage for workers to secure better pay and staffing – not less,” the United Food and Commercial Workers International union’s Stop the Merger coalition said in a statement Wednesday.

McMullen said Wednesday that Kroger was committed to honoring existing labor contracts. The FTC’s chief trial counsel, Susan Musser, said the merger still might affect working conditions because union contracts are typically renegotiated every three years.

Under the proposed deal, Kroger and Albertsons would sell 579 stores in places where their locations overlap to , a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands.

The FTC alleges that C&S is ill-prepared to take on those stores. Laura Hall, the FTC’s senior trial counsel, has cited internal documents that indicated C&S executives were skeptical about the quality of the stores they would get and may want the option to sell or close them.

C&S CEO Eric Winn, for his part, testified last week that he thinks his company can be successful in the venture.

The FTC is seeking an injunction to block the merger temporarily while its lawsuit against the deal goes before an administrative law judge. U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson was expected to hear from around 40 witnesses before deciding whether to grant the request.

If Nelson agrees to issue the injunction, the FTC plans to hold the in-house hearings starting Oct. 1. Kroger sued the FTC last month, however, alleging the agency’s internal proceedings are unconstitutional and saying it wants the merger’s merits decided in federal court.

The attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming all joined the FTC’s lawsuit on the commission’s side. Washington and Colorado filed separate cases in state courts seeking to block the merger.

___

Durbin reported from Detroit.

CEOs of Albertsons and Kroger says shoppers would see lower prices after merger (2024)

FAQs

What is happening with the Kroger Albertsons merger? ›

The merger deal sets a store divestiture ceiling of 650, at which point the companies could re-evaluate the transaction. Kroger and Albertsons have said they expect to close the deal in early 2024, pending federal and state regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

What price is Kroger buying Albertsons? ›

Fact: The Kroger-Albertsons Merger. In October 2022, grocery giant Kroger entered into an agreement to acquire its rival Albertsons for $24.6 billion. The deal would be the biggest supermarket merger in history, combining two mega-chains that have already consolidated much of the industry.

Who owns Albertson? ›

Are Safeway and Kroger owned by the same company? ›

It took nearly a century before this rumor became reality, when Kroger announced in 2022 that it would acquire Safeway's parent company, Albertsons. In the 1930s, Kroger Grocery and Baking Company became the first grocery chain to monitor product quality and to test foods offered to customers.

Who is bigger, Kroger or Albertsons? ›

It had nearly double the retail sales of the next chain, Albertsons. Founded in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio (where it is still headquartered), by Bernard Kroger, The Kroger Co. has become the largest supermarket chain in the United States and the one of the largest overall retailers, behind the retailing giant, Walmart.

Is Jewel-Osco owned by Kroger? ›

Kroger owns the Mariano's brand, while Albertsons owns Jewel-Osco. A Kroger spokesperson said none of the stores will close. They would be divested to C&S Wholesale Grocers, the parent company of Piggly Wiggly and Grand Union supermarkets.

Does the Mormon Church own Albertsons? ›

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not own any grocery stores. The only stores owned by the Church are Deseret Book (a religious book store) and Deseret Industries (a non-profit thrift store). The Albertson's stores are owned by SuperValu Inc. SuperValu is owned by individual shareholders.

Who is Trader Joe's owned by? ›

Family of Theo Albrecht

Who owns the most shares of Albertsons? ›

Who owns the most shares of Albertsons Companies (ACI)? VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS owns the most shares of Albertsons Companies (ACI).

Is Kroger owned by Publix? ›

Is Publix owned by Kroger? Though I'm sure Kroger would love to take ownership of it, and expand their vast grocery empire, Publix is actually an employee owned and operated store, with no intention of selling to Kroger. They remain two separate entities, living to battle each other…

Who owns Aldi? ›

Owned by a German company called Albrecht Discounts, ALDI is a discount grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948. Decidedly no frills, the company stocks virtually all house-brand products, all offered at very low prices thanks to exclusive deals with their suppliers, many of which are big-name producers.

Is Fred Meyer owned by Walmart? ›

Fred Meyer is an American chain of hypermarket superstores founded in 1922 in Portland, Oregon, United States, by Fred G. Meyer. The stores operate in the northwest U.S., with locations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. The company was acquired by Kroger in 1998, though the stores are still branded Fred Meyer.

Has the FTC sued to block the Kroger Albertsons merger? ›

Case Summary. The Federal Trade Commission sued to block the largest proposed supermarket merger in U.S. history—Kroger Company's $24.6 billion acquisition of the Albertsons Companies, Inc. —alleging that the deal is anticompetitive.

Did the judge halt the Kroger Albertsons merger in Colorado? ›

A Colorado judge has issued an order temporarily blocking the proposed $24.6 billion merger between the nation's two largest supermarket chains ahead of an antitrust trial in state court set to begin in September.

Is Kroger Albertsons $25 BLN deal halted until Colorado trial in September? ›

July 25 (Reuters) - The proposed $25 billion merger of Kroger and Albertsons has been halted until the Colorado District Court rules on a lawsuit filed to block the deal that is expected to push up grocery prices, State Attorney General Phil Weiser said on Thursday. "The trial is set to begin on Sept.

What brands are owned by Kroger? ›

The Kroger Co. operates grocery retail stores under the following banners: Supermarkets – Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, Smith's, King Soopers, Fry's, QFC, City Market, Owen's, Jay C, Pay Less, Baker's, Gerbes, Harris Teeter, Pick 'n Save, Metro Market, Mariano's.

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