Fort Worth, TX—Albertson’s LLC announced today that it intends to exit the Oklahoma marketplace and outsource the grocery distribution operations that support its Dallas-Fort Worth division.  This will be accomplished through the sale of its Fort Worth Distribution Center to Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) and combined with a subsequent five-year supply agreement for continued service by the distribution center to Albertsons stores operated by the company’s Dallas-Fort Worth division.  Additionally, the company intends to sell 23 of its stores in Oklahoma to four AWG member retailers and close its remaining three stores in the state later this summer.

“This strategic move by Albertson’s LLC means that our DFW division will receive comparable, high quality services, from largely the same team, while allowing the division to restructure its operating costs,” explained Bob Miller, chief executive officer and president of Albertson’s LLC.  “Selling these assets to AWG and its member retailers allows Albertson’s LLC to ensure employment for the vast majority of our impacted associates with a strong national distribution company and regional grocery operators focused on the Oklahoma marketplace.”

Stores throughout Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas are not impacted and customers in those stores will not notice any changes in their Albertsons stores as a result of this transaction.

The four AWG member retailers acquiring the Albertsons stores are: Homeland, Inc., Reasor’s, Inc., RPCS, Inc. and Williams Discount Foods.  The stores in Oklahoma will remain open and operating under the Albertsons banner until they are sold.  These asset sales are expected to close beginning in mid-July, with the store sales likely to occur before the sale of the distribution center. 

The Dallas-Fort Worth division of Albertson’s LLC operates 141 stores throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.  The company is working to become the favorite food and drug retailer in every market it serves.  Albertson’s LLC employs more than 47,000 associates and operates under the Albertsons banner in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.