Save A Lot has relicensed its 18 remaining corporate-owned supermarkets, completing its strategy of shifting ownership and operations of all locations to independent licensed ownership. These St. Louis-area stores are being acquired by Leevers Supermarkets, a current Save A Lot partner with 29 stores, and they will continue to operate under the Save A Lot banner.
“As we’ve made a strategic shift to become a licensed wholesaler, it’s clear that our long-term growth momentum must be rooted in the success of our strong network of retail partners,” said Leon Bergmann, CEO of Save A Lot in a statement. “Since its inception, Save A Lot has filled an important need as a discount, high-quality hometown grocer in each community it serves. Our retail partners are closest to and best positioned to meet the needs of those customers. The time was right for us to step fully into our role as a licensed wholesaler and put all operations in the hands of our dedicated retailers.”
Save A Lot operates more than 800 stores in 32 states. This acquisition marks the final chapter in the retailer’s wholesale transformation, which began in 2020. While no longer operating stores directly, Save A Lot plans to partner closely with its retail partners to provide a base for testing new innovations and programs before deploying them in stores. Save A Lot partnered with RangeMe in July 2022 to widen its supplier network, and the retailer rolled out a supply chain solution designed to minimize stockouts in February 2023.
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