MOHAVE COUNTY – Five Safeway stores in Mohave County may be sold in a divestiture plan that aims to ease monopoly concerns by government regulators contemplating approval of a huge grocery chain merger.
Attorneys general from several states and others long ago expressed opposition to the proposed merger involving Kroger and Albertsons, and anti-trust concerns in markets like Kingman where the local Safeway and Smith’s stores would all be owned by the same entity. To minimize that issue, Kroger-Albertson’s has proposed selling 579 Safeway stores in multiple states, hoping to gain merger approval from the Federal Trade Commission.
Kroger-Albertson’s has announced both Kingman stores and Safeway outlets in Lake Havasu, Bullhead City and Fort Mohave, if their merger is approved, would be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers.
Kingman Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Becky Fawson said it’s too early, and not enough details are yet available, to understand what the proposed merger and Safeway sell-off might mean from one community to another. She expressed certainty that the Chamber and city officials will monitor the proposed mega merger as it evolves.
Dave Hawkins
