NASH FINCH, Minneapolis, said here last week it has entered into an agreement to sell Nash-De Camp, Visalia, Calif., to Agriholding, Pebble Beach, Calif. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Nash Finch said it was divesting its California produce growing and marketing subsidiary in order to focus better on its core wholesale and retail grocery business. Also, Nash Finch said it has completed the acquisition of Erickson's Diversified Corp. through a cash purchase of Erickson's stock. Headquartered in Hudson, Wis., Erickson's operates 18 stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin under the names More-4, Econofoods, Food Bonanza and Erickson's City Market.
upply company, to create a specialized wholesaler servicing the full spectrum of institutional customers in the health, restaurant, catering and hospitality sectors.
SANTEE DAIRIES, City of Industry, Calif. -- jointly owned by Stater Bros. Markets, Colton, Calif., and Ralphs Grocery Co., Compton, Calif. -- is seeking additional customers for branded and private-label products because of increased capacity at a new facility, according to Jack Brown, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Stater Bros. and chairman and CEO of Santee. Santee produces private-label products under the Knudsen label, which Santee acquired several years ago. Stater has owned a 50% interest in the dairy since its founding 12 years ago, and Ralphs has owned the other 50% since acquiring Hughes Family Markets, which was Stater's original Santee partner. Despite the acquisition of Ralphs' parent company, Fred Meyer Inc., Portland, Ore., by Kroger Co., Cincinnati, Brown said, Ralphs has fulfilled Hughes' obligation to Santee by signing an eight-year product-purchase agreement, which is currently in its sixth month.
