Table of Contents
CRYSTAL CITY, Va. — Discount grocer Lidl is acquiring six Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores from United Natural Foods Inc. following an announcement that UNFI reached deals to sell 13 of its 43 Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores to three grocery operators. Other Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores in Maryland have been purchased in Waldorf by McKay’s and in Capitol Heights and Landover by Compare Foods.
Lidl US, a division of the German retail chain, will purchase five Shoppers Food & Pharmacy locations in Maryland, in Annapolis, Oxon Hill, Brooklyn Park, Takoma Park and Wheaton. In Virginia, Lidl will take over a location in Burke.
“We will be making significant investments in the redevelopment of these sites,” said Chandler Ebeier, a spokesperson for Lidl US, “and will have more to share in terms of the grand-opening time line at the end of next year.” The company now has 65 stores across the East Coast and plans to open a total of 25 new stores by spring 2020. Lidl currently has about a dozen stores in Maryland and Virginia.
In other company news, Lidl recently opened its first two stores on Long Island this month, in the towns of West Babylon and Center Moriches.
The grocer first unveiled its plans to open four stores on New York’s Long Island this past April, with another four added to the rollout in October. Several of the stores, including the West Babylon location, will be remodeled Best Market stores. Lidl acquired Best Market’s stores last year.
The company plans a second wave of stores across New York’s Long Island by next summer. East Meadow, Oakdale, Patchogue and Lake Grove have been added to the list of the communities that will get stores, following locations planned for Plainview and Huntington, all of which are set to open early next year. By summer 2020, the deep-discount grocer will have eight stores in the area.
“As a Long Island native, I know how important saving time and money is to residents across the Island,” said West Babylon store manager Joe Marazzo. “Shoppers will be in awe at how much they can save with Lidl each week. My team and I are excited to serve the community.”
“I’ve worked in grocery for over two decades on Long Island, and never before have I seen a store that prioritizes quality and shopper savings as much as Lidl does,” added Center Moriches store manager Carlo Franzese. “Our store brings significant new investment to Center Moriches and will be a customer-focused shopping destination that will be a great addition to the community.”
