EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Pointing to its "Build out the Store" mission, United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) announced Thursday that a deal has been struck to acquire Minnesota-based Supervalu for approximately $2.9 billion.
The deal calls for UNFI to acquire Supervalu for $32.50 per share in cash. UNFI Chairman Steve Spinner will lead the combined company. While not specifically addressing the fate of Supervalu holdings like the Cub Foods chain, a release by the company says UNFI will "divest SUPERVALU retail assets in a thoughtful and economic manner."
At this point it is unclear how the sale will impact Supervalu's 23,000 employees. SuperValu shares soared 62.7% in Thursday premarket trading while UNFI's shares dropped 7.4%.
"This transaction accelerates UNFI's "Build out the Store" growth strategy by immediately enhancing our product range, equipping us to bring an attractive, comprehensive product portfolio to an expanded universe of customers," said Steve Spinner, UNFI's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. "Combining our leading position in natural and organic foods with SUPERVALU's presence in fast-turning products makes us the partner of choice for a broader range of customers. Together, we can provide our "better for you" products as well as other high-growth segments, improving customers' competitive advantages in a dynamic marketplace."
UNFI cites a number of benefits to the Supervalu aquisition:
- Diversifies customer base: The transaction will greatly expand UNFI's customer base and exposure across channels, including those where demand for "better for you" products is increasing and UNFI is under-represented. It will also unlock new opportunities through a comprehensive product portfolio.
- Enables cross-selling opportunities: UNFI will benefit from its ability to deliver comprehensive and expanded offerings, including the addition of high-growth perimeter categories such as meat and produce to UNFI's natural and organic products.
- Expands market reach and scale: The wider geographic reach and greater scale of the combined entity is expected to increase efficiencies and effectiveness.
- Enhances technology, capacity and systems: The combined entity plans to leverage scalable systems to streamline its processes, more efficiently meet the needs of its customers and reduce future capital expenditures.
- Delivers significant synergies: Through this combination, UNFI will be positioned to realize run rate cost synergies of more than $175 million by year 3.
- Accelerating growth: After year one, the transaction is projected to be accretive to Adjusted EPS in year 1 with double-digit Adjusted EPS growth after year 1, excluding one-time costs.
Supervalu Inc. is one of the largest grocery wholesalers and retailers in the U.S. with fiscal 2018 annual sales of approximately $14 billion. The company serves customers across the U.S. through a network of 3,437 stores composed of 3,323 wholesale primary stores operated by customers serviced by SUPERVALU's food distribution business and 114 traditional retail grocery stores in continuing operations operated under three retail banners in three geographic regions.
UNFI is headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. The company delivers healthier food options to more than 43,000 customers throughout the U.S. and Canada.