Albertsons exec could take on pivotal role at national chain if merger approved

A potential shakeup in Albertsons Companies ' leadership could be on the horizon if a proposed merger is approved.

In a leaked internal company memo, Albertsons CEO Vivak Sankaran stated that current Susan Morris, the company’s current executive vice president and chief operating officer, would become the president and CEO of C&S Wholesale Grocers Retail if the merger between Albertsons and Kroger is approved, according to story posted by BoiseDev.com.

Eric Winn, the current CEO of C&S would remain at the helm of the entire company, a representative for Albertsons Companies confirmed in an email.

Under a revised divestiture plan issued by the two grocery chains, a combined 579 Albertsons and Kroger stores in 19 states would be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers, including 10 in Idaho. The merger is estimated to be worth $2.9 billion.

In the memo, Sankaran reportedly stated that Morris “has been instrumental in building the Albertsons we know today starting with a few hundred stores in 2006. She will bring to C&S a multi-decade track record of operational excellence, innovation and growth ”

Morris was promoted to her current role in 2018. Her career within the company spans 30 years, beginning in the Denver division.

The 579 stores will be sold by Kroger to C&S should the merger be approved. According to a release issued by Albertsons earlier this year, the agreement states that “C&S will license the Albertsons banner in California and Wyoming and the Safeway banner in Arizona and Colorado. Kroger will re-banner the retained Albertsons and Safeway bannered stores following the closing of the merger. Kroger will maintain the Albertsons and Safeway banners in the remaining states.”

Kroger stated that if the companies are combined, “no stores distribution centers or manufacturing facilities will close as a result of the merger.”

The divestiture comes as a response from Kroger and Albertsons after the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to block the merger, which was announced in 2022.

C&S Wholesale Grocers, headquartered in Keen, New Hampshire, operates 33 stores and one pharmacy throughout several states across the country.

Albertsons was founded in Boise in 1939 by Joe Albertson and L.S. Skaggs, opening a store on 16th and State Streets.

Kroger, which has about 2,719 stores across the country, was founded in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Bernard Kroger.

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