BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Haggen Inc., operator of 30 Haggen and TOP supermarkets in Washington and Oregon, said Thursday it has reached an agreement to sell the chain to The ComVest Group, West Palm Beach, Fla., for an undisclosed price.
ComVest will become the majority owner, with the Haggen family, which founded the chain in 1933, taking a “significant minority position.”
Jim Donald, who has been president and chief executive officer of Haggen since October 2009, will step down when the deal is consummated in mid-March, though he will continue to serve as an adviser, the company said. He will be succeeded by Clarence J. (Gabe) Gabriel, who worked for Albertsons from 2002 through 2006 as executive vice president, merchandising and supply chain management.
Gabriel subsequently served as president and CEO of Transcera International, a privately held executive search and consulting firm; president and CEO of Movie Gallery, Wilsonville, Ore., a video rental company that is no longer in business; and most recently as president and CEO of Cistrona Retail and Supply Chain Consulting, Orlando, Fla.
