ACME, Safeway parent company to merge with Kroger

Supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons Companies have announced plans for a $24.6 billion merger. According to an Oct. 14 press release issued by Kroger, the merger is expected to be finalized in early 2024.

Albertsons Companies, based in Idaho, is the parent company for Safeway and ACME Markets. In Delaware, there are 15 ACMEs and three Safeways, including one each on Coastal Highway outside Rehoboth Beach. Kroger, based in Ohio, has two stores in Sussex County after acquiring Harris Teeter Supermarkets in 2013.

According to the press release, together, Albertsons and Kroger employ more than 710,000 associates and operate a total of 4,996 stores, 66 distribution centers, 52 manufacturing plants, 3,972 pharmacies and 2,015 fuel centers. The combination would create a company with locations across 48 states and Washington, D.C.