FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Deborah Pleva
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Haggen Announces Steps to Streamline and Improve Operations
Bellingham, Wash. (August 14, 2015) – Haggen, the West Coast regional grocer, today announced that in order to continue to improve its business and strengthen its competitive position, it has decided to close or sell a number of locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Most of the stores being closed or sold were acquired as part of the transaction in which Albertsons LLC and Safeway divested 146 stores. Additional stores will be sold or closed in the future as part of Haggen’s right-sizing strategy. The company has not determined how many jobs will be affected as a result of the closures and sales.
“Haggen’s goal going forward is to ensure a stable, healthy company that will benefit our customers, associates, vendors, creditors, stakeholders as well as the communities we serve,” said Haggen CEO Pacific Southwest, Bill Shaner. “By making the tough choice to close and sell some stores, we will be able to invest in stores that have the potential to thrive under the Haggen banner.”
Through the acquisition, Haggen expanded from 18 stores with 16 pharmacies and 2,000 employees in the Pacific Northwest to 164 stores and 106 pharmacies employing more than 10,000 people in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. Haggen’s original stores continue to perform well.
John Clougher, Haggen CEO Pacific Northwest, added, “Though Haggen has grown substantially, we remain committed to our core values and to support regional farms, ranches and food producers and strengthen the communities around our stores.”
Clougher and Shaner continued:
“We’re grateful to have an outstanding team along with the support of our vendor partners, financial backers and friends in the community as we take our next steps forward. Looking ahead, we will work hard every single day to earn the trust and business of our guests. We will continue to support community events and donate to schools. We will offer our customers the freshest and most local products we can find and the genuine service they deserve. And we will engage in lively discussions about how we can improve. We will remain actively involved in making our communities even better, and we will stay committed to the values that have always guided Haggen.”
About Haggen
Founded in 1933 in Bellingham, Washington, Haggen has built its business on providing guests the freshest and most local products with genuine service, while supporting the communities it serves. In the first half of 2015, Haggen made an acquisition expanding from a Pacific Northwest company with locations in Oregon and Washington to a regional grocery chain with locations in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona. Throughout its eight decades in business, the company has supported regional farms, ranches, fisheries and other businesses, creating a lasting and sustainable local food economy. The company remains focused on its core values as it expands. For more information about what’s happening at Haggen, visit haggen.com, and get social with Haggen Northwest Fresh at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and Haggen Southwest at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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DEBORAH T. PLEVA
Associate, Weinstein PR
503-908-4250
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