Stop & Shop, King Kullen Terminate Merger Due To Coronavirus

LONG ISLAND, NY — Stop & Shop and King Kullen have terminated their merger agreement, the supermarket chains said Wednesday.

Stop & Shop announced in late 2018 that it would acquire all King Kullen supermarkets across Long Island.

A joint decision was made not to proceed with the acquisition because of "significant, unforeseen changes in the marketplace" that have emerged since the agreement was signed in December, 2018, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, the release said.

“Both companies have put forth an incredible amount of effort to work through unanticipated challenges that have arisen, and we regret that we’re not able to move forward. King Kullen has a strong legacy on the island, and we wish them continued success,” said Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop. “Stop & Shop remains committed to the Long Island community, to serving our customers in the market well, and to investing in our associates and our stores in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.”

Brian Cullen, co-president of King Kullen, added: “We look forward to continuing to focus on what we do best — serving our great customers across Long Island and supporting our hard-working store associates. We are enthusiastic about the future and well-positioned to serve Nassau and Suffolk Counties for many years to come. In short, we are here for the long term.”

Headquartered in Bethpage, King Kullen is recognized by the Smithsonian Institution as "America’s first supermarket." Founded in 1930 by Michael J. Cullen, King Kullen is a family-owned and unionized business operating 29 supermarkets and five Wild by Nature stores on Long Island.