Farmer Jack Receives Bids: Report

DETROIT — Nash Finch Co., Minneapolis, is interested in buying some of the 66 Farmer Jack stores here that its parent company, A&P, Montvale, N.J., may be seeking to sell, according to reports last week.

A&P declined to comment on the reports, and Nash Finch could not be reached for comment.

An article in the Detroit Free Press said Nash Finch had bid on 18 Farmer Jack locations, and that A&P would probably make an announcement about the bidding on April 25. A&P previously had said it wanted to sell the chain, but in 2005 promised United Food and Commercial Workers Local 876 that it would continue operating the stores until the end of last month, the union said.

As previously reported, Craig Sturken, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Spartan Stores, Grand Rapids, Mich., told SN that his company was looking at the Farmer Jack stores with the possibility of bidding on them for its independent customers in the market.

The Free Press article said one of those customers, Ryan's Foods in Detroit, was interested in one of the Farmer Jack locations. Ryan's could not be reached for comment last week.