Business of Food & Beverage

Aldi Buying Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets in the Southeast

Aug. 17, 2023

Already in a growth spurt, Aldi will add 400 stores in one deal with Southeastern Grocers.

Aldi, the German-based discount and private label store chain, today (Aug. 16) announced an agreement to acquire Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores as part of a larger divestiture of stores by Southeastern Grocers. Price was not disclosed.

The deal should add about 400 locations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi to Aldi’s existing 1,900 or so stories nationwide. Winn-Dixie is Florida’s second most-shopped grocery chain, behind Publix.

"Aldi will operate Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores with the same level of care and focus on quality and service, as we also evaluate which locations will convert to the Aldi format to better support the neighborhoods we'll now have the privilege of serving," said Jason Hart, Aldi CEO. "For those stores we do not convert, our intention is that these continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores.

“The transaction supports our long-term growth strategy across the United States, including plans to add 120 new stores nationwide this year to reach a total of more than 2,400 stores by year-end."

Southeastern Grocers is apparently divesting all of its grocery store holdings. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and had to close nearly 100 stores to restructure, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Then Southeastern Grocers tried to go public in 2021 but backed out later that year.

While Aldi gets Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket, another deal will send Southeastern’s 28 Fresco y Más stores catering to Florida’s Hispanic and Caribbean communities to Fresco Retail Group, an investment group focusing on food and retail, said the Times.

The Aldi transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

About the Author

Dave Fusaro | Editor in Chief

Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.