Report: Albertsons in talks to buy Price Chopper

A new billion dollar merger is reported about to rock the supermarket industry.



Albertsons Companies Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire Price Chopper, a privately held, New York-based regional grocery store operator, for around $1 billion, Reuters reported. Price Chopper operates some 130 stores in the Northeast, including New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.



Albertsons, which is controlled by Cerberus Capital Management LP, operates more than 2,200 supermarkets and is the second largest grocery store chain in the United States (after Kroger Co.). In 2015, it acquired Safeway.



The merger talks come as regional chains are under increased pressure from a growing array of competitors, from deep discount operators such as Aldi to traditional discounters such as Walmart to Amazon and other online players.