ALBERTSONS Southern California Division, a subsidiary of SUPERVALU INC.
(NYSE: SVU), today announced plans to reduce its store-level workforce
by an estimated 2,200-2,500 positions. These reductions, which will
occur across all 247 Albertsons stores in California and Nevada, will
begin the week of June 17 and should be completed near July 1. The
change is expected to directly impact a small number of positions at any
specific store location.
ALBERTSONS, which represents the largest retail chain in SUPERVALU’s
family of grocery stores, is focused on simplifying its organization and
reducing expenses to help reinvest in more customer facing initiatives.
“A decision of this nature is never easy, but it is the necessary step
for us to take to help improve our business and accelerate our
turnaround,” said Dan Sanders, president, ALBERTSONS Southern California
Division. “Our goal is to more effectively serve the marketplace by
scheduling associates more appropriately to serve customers at the times
they shop. I am confident our team will embrace these changes and help
us to compete more effectively in a rapidly changing marketplace.”
In February, the company identified ways to de-layer and remove costs
with a reduction in its Fullerton store support center. While
ALBERTSONS’ commitment to the neighborhoods it serves remains the same,
the need for change at the company is clear. ALBERTSONS has not kept
pace with the changing needs of its customers for a number of reasons.
At the same time, while the division has experienced a reduction in
traffic and an overall decline in sales, it has not made the necessary
adjustments to its store-level operations.
ALBERTSONS will work with the union to ensure a smooth transition for
affected associates based on the collective bargaining agreement.
Sanders concluded, “ALBERTSONS Southern California Division is committed
to providing our neighborhoods with a superior grocery shopping
experience enhanced by local expertise, national strength and a passion
for our guests. Today’s announcement will not affect this commitment in
any way.”
About ALBERTSONS
ALBERTSONS is part of the SUPERVALU® family
of grocery stores. ALBERTSONS was founded in 1939 and currently operates
445 Albertsons and Lucky® supermarkets in Southern California, Southern
Nevada, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and
Wyoming. SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest companies in the U.S.
grocery channel with estimated annual sales of $35 billion. SUPERVALU
serves customers across the United States through a network of
approximately 4,300 stores composed of 1,102 traditional retail stores,
including 797 in-store pharmacies; 1,332 hard-discount stores, of which
935 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,900 independent stores
serviced primarily by the company’s traditional food distribution
business. SUPERVALU has approximately 130,000 employees. For more
information about Albertsons, visit our web site at www.albertsons.com.
