Giant Stores in Fredericksburg Area May Be Sold in Merger

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The merger between the parent companies of Giant and Food Lion may put Fredericksburg area Giant stores up for sale.

When the merger was announced in June 2015, we pointed out that Giant and Food Lion groceries are located in close proximity to each other across the area. That can be a problem for federal regulators.

Union leaders at UFCW 400 alerted members this week that six stores in the Fredericksburg region are eyed in potential sale related to the merger, according to a list from Union President Mark Federici:

• Giant 234, 550 Celebrate Virginia Parkway, Stafford, VA 22406
• Giant 235, 5701 Plank Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22407
• Giant 243, 317 Worth Ave, Stafford, VA 22554
• Giant 256, 10346 Courthouse Rd, Spotsylvania, VA 22553
• Giant 770 1245 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22401
• Giant 789, 35 Town and Country Rd, Falmouth, VA 22405

"Our Union will do everything possible to make sure any potential buyer preserves the jobs of all current members and all the terms of our current contract," Federici wrote.

See Federici's entire note to union members

On Monday, shareholders of the two companies, Giant-owned Ahold and Food Lion owner Delhaize agreed to the $10.9M merger. The deal is expected to be finalized in mid-2016.

Ahold CEO Dick Boer told Reuters that the deal will involve the sale of some stores in Belgium over regulatory issues. "On the U.S. side we're still waiting in a way for their views," he told Reuters.

An Ahold USA spokesman told the Free-Lance Star that it's too early in the process to speculate about store divestitures.