ALBERTSONS Southern California Division Announces Workforce Reduction

Company to remove an estimated 2,200-2,500 positions from its retail stores in California and Nevada

FULLERTON, Calif.--()--ALBERTSONS Southern California Division, a subsidiary of SUPERVALU INC. (NYSE: SVU), today announced plans to reduce its store-level workforce by an estimated 2,200-2,500 positions. These reductions, which will occur across all 247 Albertsons stores in California and Nevada, will begin the week of June 17 and should be completed near July 1. The change is expected to directly impact a small number of positions at any specific store location.

ALBERTSONS, which represents the largest retail chain in SUPERVALU’s family of grocery stores, is focused on simplifying its organization and reducing expenses to help reinvest in more customer facing initiatives. “A decision of this nature is never easy, but it is the necessary step for us to take to help improve our business and accelerate our turnaround,” said Dan Sanders, president, ALBERTSONS Southern California Division. “Our goal is to more effectively serve the marketplace by scheduling associates more appropriately to serve customers at the times they shop. I am confident our team will embrace these changes and help us to compete more effectively in a rapidly changing marketplace.”

In February, the company identified ways to de-layer and remove costs with a reduction in its Fullerton store support center. While ALBERTSONS’ commitment to the neighborhoods it serves remains the same, the need for change at the company is clear. ALBERTSONS has not kept pace with the changing needs of its customers for a number of reasons. At the same time, while the division has experienced a reduction in traffic and an overall decline in sales, it has not made the necessary adjustments to its store-level operations.

ALBERTSONS will work with the union to ensure a smooth transition for affected associates based on the collective bargaining agreement.

Sanders concluded, “ALBERTSONS Southern California Division is committed to providing our neighborhoods with a superior grocery shopping experience enhanced by local expertise, national strength and a passion for our guests. Today’s announcement will not affect this commitment in any way.”

About ALBERTSONS
ALBERTSONS is part of the SUPERVALU® family of grocery stores. ALBERTSONS was founded in 1939 and currently operates 445 Albertsons and Lucky® supermarkets in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest companies in the U.S. grocery channel with estimated annual sales of $35 billion. SUPERVALU serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,300 stores composed of 1,102 traditional retail stores, including 797 in-store pharmacies; 1,332 hard-discount stores, of which 935 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,900 independent stores serviced primarily by the company’s traditional food distribution business. SUPERVALU has approximately 130,000 employees. For more information about Albertsons, visit our web site at www.albertsons.com.

Contacts

ALBERTSONS
Lilia Rodriguez, 714-300-6438
Cell: 714-306-5408
Lilia.Rodriguez@supervalu.com
or
SUPERVALU INC.
Mike Siemienas, 952-828-4245
Mike.siemienas@supervalu.com

Contacts

ALBERTSONS
Lilia Rodriguez, 714-300-6438
Cell: 714-306-5408
Lilia.Rodriguez@supervalu.com
or
SUPERVALU INC.
Mike Siemienas, 952-828-4245
Mike.siemienas@supervalu.com