FTC Approves Giant-Carlisle’s Acquisition of Genuardi’s Stores

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved the proposed acquisition of 15 supermarkets by Giant Food Stores from Genuardi’s Family Markets, a subsidiary of Pleasanton, Calif.-based Safeway Inc. in the greater Philadelphia area. Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant, a division of Ahold USA, revealed the purchase agreement in early January 2012.

Under the terms of a consent order approved by the FTC, the Genuardi’s location in Newtown, Pa., must be sold to an unrelated third party. This store will be bought by Newtown Market LLC and operated as a McCaffrey’s supermarket.

Giant has offered employment to 1,700 former Genuardi’s store associates -- almost all who applied for employment with Giant at the stores the banner is purchasing. The chain will also hire around 900 additional part-time associates for its new stores.

With the addition of these jobs, Giant, the third-largest private-sector employer in Pennsylvania, will increase its workforce in the state by 10 percent. Candidates interested in a job at Giant Food Stores can apply online.

“We can’t wait to introduce our unique combination of quality, selection and savings to more neighborhoods in greater Philadelphia,” said Rick Herring, president of Giant/Martin’s which operates stores under the Giant Food Stores and Martin’s Food Markets banners in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, employing nearly 30,000 associates. “Customers can expect to find the same friendly faces when they shop at Giant.”

Giant is collaborating with Safeway on the store transition process. Dates for each store conversion will be revealed soon.