The proposed $24.6 billion dollar merger of Cincinnati-based Kroger and Boise-based Albertsons may impact two stores in Mason County.
The Belfair QFC and the Shelton Safeway are among the 124 stores on a list of planned grocery store selloffs as part of the proposed merger. Specific details on what will happen to those stores have not been released as the merger goes through the approval process.
According to stories in the Olympian and the Tacoma News Tribune, one possibility has stores being sold to New Hampshire-based C&S Wholesale Grocers, the parent company of the Piggly Wiggly grocery chain. C&S could absorb the QFC and Haggen brands as part of the deal. However, new ownership could create more uncertainty – especially for Belfair. C&S could choose to close the small town’s QFC since there is a competitor, Safeway, nearby.
A scenario involving the Shelton Safeway has not been theorized and the Shelton Fred Meyer, which sells Kroger products, is not on the selloff list.
A group of unions representing Kroger and Albertsons grocery workers in Washington and other states is opposed to the merger.
Next month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will seek a preliminary injunction from a federal judge in Oregon to halt the merger proceedings. The FTC has argued the merger would reduce competition, among other issues.
Kroger and Albertsons are arguing they need to merge to compete with companies like Walmart and Amazon.
Meanwhile, the state of Washington has an antitrust lawsuit against the proposed merger which is set to go to trial in September.