ST. LOUIS — Save A Lot, one of the largest discount grocery chains in the U.S., announced the re-licensing of its remaining 18 company-operated stores, finalizing its ongoing strategy to shift ownership and operations of all Save A Lot locations to independent, licensed ownership and to foster continued brand growth as a licensed wholesaler.
“As we’ve made a strategic shift to become a licensed wholesaler, it’s clear that our long-term growth momentum must be rooted in the success of our strong network of Retail Partners,” said Leon Bergmann, Chief Executive Officer. “Since its inception, Save A Lot has filled an important need as a discount, high quality hometown grocer in each community it serves. Our Retail Partners are closest to and best positioned to meet the needs of those customers. Their commitment to our brand and the consumer we serve is unmatched in the industry. The time was right for us to step fully into our role as a licensed wholesaler and put all operations in the hands of our dedicated retailers.”
The remaining 18 company-operated locations in the St. Louis area are being acquired by Leevers Supermarkets, Inc., a current Save A Lot Retail Partner with 29 stores in markets including Denver, Colo. and Philadelphia, Pa. Leevers will continue to operate the St. Louis stores under the Save A Lot banner.
“We are proud to be a part of the Save A Lot network and are thrilled to grow our footprint with the brand,” said Leevers Supermarkets President and Chief Executive Officer, Gabe Disbrow. “We remain fully committed to delivering an exceptional shopping experience with unmatched value to every shopper who walks through our doors. We’re looking forward to being a part of the St. Louis community.”
Today’s announcement is the final chapter in Save A Lot’s wholesale transformation, which began in late 2020. Through an emphasis on serving and supporting its Retail Partners, Save A Lot has built a sustainable, high-growth and community-focused business while remaining true to its mission of providing unmatched value to its customers. While no longer operating stores directly, the Company will continue to partner closely with individual Retail Partners like Leevers and others across its network to provide a base for testing new innovations and programs before deploying them to all stores.
“We are excited to expand our collaboration with the Leevers team, who have been fantastic partners, strong operators and excellent ambassadors of the Save A Lot brand,” said Bergmann. “They join a strong and dedicated network of other Retail Partners in the St. Louis area to continue to provide first-rate leadership to many other retailers in our national network. We’re confident that with this change in our business, we are best positioned to achieve our long-term goal of enabling profitable sales growth for all Save A Lot retailers through our combination of world-class wholesale business and engaged retail support.”
About Save A Lot
Founded in 1977, Save A Lot is the largest independently owned and operated discount grocery store chain in the U.S., with more than 800 stores in 32 states. True to its mission of being a hometown grocer, Save A Lot provides unmatched quality and value to local families. Customers enjoy significant savings compared to traditional grocery stores on great tasting, high quality private label brands, national brand products, USDA-inspected meat, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, and other non-food items. For more information visit www.SaveALot.com and follow Save A Lot on Facebook (facebook.com/savealot), Twitter (@savealot), and Instagram (@SaveALotFoodStores), or for more information on becoming a Save A Lot independent retail operator, visit ownasavealot.com.
