Gunnison’s Safeway buyout update

Employees will be retained, union contracts honored  

By Toni M. Todd

The Gunnison Safeway, currently owned by Albertson’s companies Inc., is one of 91 grocery stores in Colorado slated for acquisition by C&S Wholesale Grocers. 

“The transaction is not final and C&S’s agreement is subject to Kroger and Albertson’s resolving pending cases in court,” said Lauren La Bruno, C&S vice president of communications change management and community relations. “It’s therefore too early to set a timeline for the changeover or to know whether our local store will be closed before re-opening under a new name.” 

 One concern common among employees of companies being bought out is whether or not they will get to keep their jobs with the new owners. La Bruno assured they would.

“We are very excited to welcome thousands of highly skilled grocery retail, store and distribution team members from Kroger and Albertson’s [Safeway] who are currently responsible for these supermarkets,” she said. “Their knowledge, along with C&S’s wholesale and supply expertise, will ensure these stores continue to successfully serve their communities. C&S will recognize the union workforce and maintain all collective bargaining agreements. We are committed to retaining frontline employees and further investing in growth.”

C&S Wholesale Grocers currently owns Grand Union Supermarkets, one of the first Supermarkets in the U.S., with stores in New York and Vermont. They also own Piggly Wiggly Supermarkets, with locations throughout the Midwest, South and Northeast.