Albertsons announces big strides since Safeway merger

BOISE, Idaho — Albertsons on Monday — the two-year anniversary of its merger with Safeway — shared some of the progress the company has made since the combination made it the second-largest supermarket company in the United States. The merger created a collective company with 2,230 stores and a team of 250,000 people across 19 banners. 

 

Since the merger closed in January 2015, Albertsons said it has grown its workforce by 10%, adding 26,000 jobs, building 23 locations and acquiring 151 more stores. At the same time, the company increased its healthy food offerings and charitable donations, giving $272 million in food donations nationwide in 2016 and $25 million in donations from the Albertsons Cos. Foundation in 2016 to support cancer research, hunger relief, veterans support and programs for people with disabilities. 

 

The company has also become a big force in pharmacy since it merged with Safeway. In the 2016 Drug Store News PoweRx Industry Rankings, Albertsons was ninth in our ranking of the top 50 retail pharmacy players with $5 billion in pharmacy sales across 1,738 of its locations with a pharmacy in 2015. Its spot in 2016 was up two spots from where it was in our 2015 rankings, when it was ranked eleventh, with $4 billion in pharmacy sales for 2014 across 1,600 stores with pharmacies. 

 

“We added an exceptional class of talented employees to our family as we grew to serve more neighborhoods and customers,” Albertsons chairman and CEO Bob Miller said. “We also supported hundreds of causes with millions of dollars in donations and transformed into a greener, more sustainable company. I'm extremely proud of our accomplishments, which are a result of the dedication of every employee. They helped us take steps toward being the ‘Favorite Local Supermarket’ in the communities we serve.”

 

Because of its efforts toward sustainability, Albertsons was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency with a Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award for increasing awareness of products that are safer for people and the environment.