Just four years after it started opening Bottom Dollar discount groceries in and around Philadelphia, Europe's Delhaize grocery group has put its 46 Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley stores up for sale, along with 20 more in the Pittsburgh and northwestern Ohio regions, Food Trade News reports, citing rival grocers who have received bid invitations.
Delhaize America, the company's U.S. unit, didn't return a call seeking comment and wouldn't talk to Food Trade News, either. The company also operates Food Lion and Hannaford groceries.
If Delhaize hopes to sell all of the stores as a chain, possible buyers could include Aldi; Ahold USA, which runs Giant and Stop & Shop markets; Supervalu, the former Acme operator, which runs the bargain-priced Save-A-Lot chain; and Wakefern Corp., which operates Shop-Rite and Fresh Grocer stores along with cut-rate PriceRites, according to the report.
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