Farm Fresh Could Face Uncertain Future: Report

Farm Fresh stores may be sold or closed, according to a published report, citing unidentified employees of the Supervalu-owned chain, who are said to be “largely kept in the dark about what changes may be on the way.”

According to the report, which appeared in The Virginian-Pilot, the employees of the Virginia Beach, Va.-based chain, who were subject to layoffs last year, are frustrated by unsent UPS packages originally promised by management and canceled staff meetings scheduled to discuss the company’s finances.

The newspaper noted that Farm Fresh’s sales in Virginia and North Carolina are below those of local rivals Food Lion and Walmart, and the banner recently shuttered locations in Williamsburg and Newport News, Va., reducing the number of stores it operates to 38.

Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Supervalu, which has been exhorted by shareholders to divest itself of its retail stores, hire new leadership and split into separate companies, sold its Save-A-Lot banner in December 2016 for $1.3 billion.