Haggen to buy Bend’s two Albertsons stores

A long-familiar name to Bend grocery shoppers could soon be replaced, if federal officials approve plans by Albertsons to sell their two stores in the city to Haggen, a Bellingham, Wash.-based grocery chain.

Albertsons and Safeway, which announced a merger earlier this year, said Friday they have agreed to sell 168 stores to four buyers, should the U.S. Federal Trade Commission approve the purchase.

Such divestitures are frequently required by federal regulators to keep a new, larger company from monopolizing a market.

Haggen would buy most of the stores, with Associated Food Stores, Associated Wholesale Grocers and Supervalu picking up the rest.

In Oregon, the acquisition means Haggen would buy and rebrand 20 stores, including the two Bend Albertsons, at 1800 NE Third Street and at 61155 S. Hwy. 97; the Albertsons on Odem Medo Road in Redmond is not on the selling list. Other Albertsons set to become Haggen stores including ones in Beaverton, Tigard and Lake Oswego.

Last March, Safeway agreed to be bought by Albertsons in a deal valued about $9.2 billion. The combination could threaten Kroger’s position as the nation’s largest grocery chain; Fred Meyer is a subsidiary of Kroger.

An Albertsons spokeswoman told The Oregonian the merger and sales are expected to close next month. A Haggen spokeswoman said each store would keep its current management team, and all workers at the acquired stores will be given an opportunity to keep their jobs.

Haggen, founded in 1933, currently has 18 stores around the country, including two in Oregon, at Tualatin and Oregon City. Here’s their release on the news: http://www.haggen.com/press-releases/haggen-expands/