Jan 29, 2008 6:57 am US/Central
Supervalu Pulling Plug On Natural Food Stores
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) ―
Grocery giant Supervalu Inc. is closing its five Sunflower Market organic and natural food stores, ending its efforts to launch a national chain of smaller stores positioned as a cheaper alternative to Whole Foods Market Inc.
All five will close the week of Feb. 18. There are three in Columbus, Ohio, plus one in Chicago and one in Indianapolis.
"While the division did not meet our goals, our learnings from this project are invaluable," Supervalu spokeswoman Haley Meyer said in an e-mail to the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. "And, given our new, national footprint, we now have a much broader canvas to which we can apply those learnings."
Supervalu nearly doubled its size in 2006 by buying most of the grocery operations of Albertson's. Supervalu also owns the Cub Foods, Shop 'n Save, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's and Star Market chains, and once hoped to open 50 Sunflower Markets within five years.
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