Winn-Dixie will soon have a new owner.
ALDI announced on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with Southeastern Grocers to acquire the Winn-Dixie brand. The merger agreement also gives ALDI ownership of the Harveys Supermarket brand. Those two stores around 400 locations across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.
The acquisition, which ALDI says is part of its expansion across the United States, is expected to close in the first half of 2024 pending regulatory approval.
"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," Jason Hart, ALDI CEO, said in a release. "For those stores we do not convert, our intention is that these continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores."
According to LSU economics professor Jim Richardson, the move makes sense.
"In certain areas like Florida and Georgia, there's a lot of growth in terms of population," Dr. Richardson said. "ALDI is, in this situation, saying they think they see some possibilities, and I think, particularly, they're looking in the Southeast. They're probably looking in the Florida-Georgia area. They're thinking maybe they can do something in New Orleans, around that area, or in Lower Mississippi."
Dr. Richardson adds that ALDI will put great thought behind any decision to rebrand exisiting Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores or to allow those brands to survive.