Save Mart Trims Corporate, Store Workforce

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

MODESTO, Calif. — Save Mart Supermarkets here said it has eliminated a handful of corporate and support staff to eliminate redundancies left over from its 2007 acquisition of 130 Albertsons stores — the first “workforce re-balancing” in the company’s 57-year history, Steve Junquiero, president and chief operating officer, pointed out. He said the number of layoffs will amount to less than one-quarter of 1% of the total workforce; observers estimated this represents about 40 people.

Junquiero said Save Mart also plans to realign store-level employee hours with current sales by reducing an unspecified number of full-time employees to part-time status to achieve necessary efficiencies without reducing the number of workers. He said the company knew the integration of the Albertsons stores and distribution facilities would eventually lead to a companywide job justification project, though he acknowledged that “challenges presented by the current economy did hasten the need to conclude this analysis and begin the implementation of a reduction in force.”

Save Mart is offering all affected employees a severance package and outplacement services, he said.

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