PURCHASE OF SWEET LIFE FOODS IS COMPLETED BY SUPERVALU

MINNEAPOLIS -- Supervalu here has completed its acquisition of Sweet Life Foods, Suffield, Conn., further strengthening its position as the nation's leading grocery distributor.

y owned subsidiary of Supervalu.

Julian J. Leavitt will continue as president of Sweet Life and report to Nicholas A. Connavino, president of Supervalu's new Northeast region, which includes Sweet Life and distribution operations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

Sweet Life operates two wholesale food distribution centers, a 675,000-square-foot facility in Suffield and a 440,000-square-foot facility in Northboro, Mass. It supplies 280 independent retailers and also operates about five corporate stores.

Supervalu executives could not be reached for comment last week on whether they plan to consolidate facilities in the New England area. The distributor operates facilities in Andover, Mass., Keene, N.H., and Portland and Presque Isle, Maine.

Michael W. Wright, chairman and chief executive officer of Supervalu, said in a statement, "The addition of Sweet Life's excellent retail customers to our operations base means long-term potential for increased development and growth in the Northeast."