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Supervalu completes Unified deal

Wholesaler gains West Coast independent business in $390M buy

Jon Springer, Executive Editor

June 26, 2017

1 Min Read

Supervalu on Friday said it had closed on the purchase of Unified Grocers Inc., providing the Minneapolis wholesaler with distribution to independent grocers on the West Coast.

Supervalu announced the $390 million deal in April, using proceeds generated by the 2016 sales of its Save-A-Lot discount business. On Friday the company said the purchase comprised of $114 million in cash to Unified Grocers’ shareholders for 100% of its stock; and the assumption and pay-off of $276 million in Unified debts.

“The completion of this transaction is a significant step forward for SUPERVALU and the growth of our wholesale business,” Mark Gross, president and CEO of Supervalu, said in a statement. “Our teams are fully engaged in the important work of integrating these two great organizations with a continued focus on delivering for our customers and stockholders. We’re excited about working with the many talented associates to supply and serve our expanded and highly diverse customer base.”

Unified, a cooperative, had 345 members at the end of fiscal 2016 and sales of around $3.8 billion.

About the Author

Jon Springer

Executive Editor

Jon Springer is executive editor of Winsight Grocery Business with responsibility for leading its digital news team. Jon has more than 20 years of experience covering consumer business and retail in New York, including more than 14 years at the Retail/Financial desk at Supermarket News. His previous experience includes covering consumer markets for KPMG’s Insiders; the U.S. beverage industry for Beverage Spectrum; and he was a Senior Editor covering commercial real estate and retail for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Jon began his career as a sports reporter and features editor for the Cecil Whig, a daily newspaper in Elkton, Md. Jon is also the author of two books on baseball. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Journalism from the University of Delaware. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his family.

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