Delhaize, Ahold to divest 86 stores; Publix and Supervalu among buyers

As their merger enters the home stretch, Delhaize Group and Ahold have reached agreements with buyers to divest 86 U.S. stores.



The two international companies announced their intent to combine forces back in June 2015. The merger is set for completion at the end of July, pending final approval by the Federal Trade Commission.



The divested stores, whose buyers range from Publix to Supervalu, are in a limited number of locations in which the companies' U.S. subsidiaries both operate. The stores are expected to be converted to their new banners and re-opened after any remodeling by the buyers. All of the purchase agreements are subject to FTC approval.



The locations being divested represent 4.1% of the Ahold and Delhaize Group companies' total combined U.S. store count and 3.2% of combined U.S. 2015 net sales.



When the merger is complete, Ahold Delhaize will operate some 6,500 stores under a portfolio of banners with more than 375,000 associates serving more than 50 million customers weekly.



Here is a list of the buyers of the 86 stores being divested:



New Albertson's, Inc. (part of Albertsons Companies based in Idaho), purchasing one Giant Food store in Salisbury, Md.;

-- Big Y (based in Massachusetts), purchasing eight Hannaford stores in eastern Massachusetts;

-- Publix (based in Florida), purchasing 10 MARTIN'S stores in Richmond, Va.;

-- Saubel's Markets (based in Pennsylvania), purchasing one Food Lion store in York, Pa.;

-- Supervalu (based in Minnesota), purchasing 22 Food Lion stores in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia;

-- Tops Markets (based in New York), purchasing one Stop & Shop store in Massachusetts as well as three Stop & Shop stores and two Hannaford stores in New York; and

-- Weis Markets (based in Pennsylvania), purchasing 38 Food Lion stores in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.