The Albany Times Union reports that if Golub Corp.’s Price Chopper is successful in its efforts to acquire 22 P&C supermarkets being auctioned off by bankrupt Penn Traffic, it will bring the chain into more direct competition with Wegmans.
According to the story, “The two grocery chains together dominate the upstate grocery market, but rarely have they directly competed. That has led to accusations-- strongly denied by both companies-- that they have an agreement not to go head-to-head.Also, Price Chopper already has a handful of stores in the Syracuse area.
“Most of the stores Price Chopper is trying to acquire are in central New York, in and around Syracuse.”
According to the story, “The two grocery chains together dominate the upstate grocery market, but rarely have they directly competed. That has led to accusations-- strongly denied by both companies-- that they have an agreement not to go head-to-head.Also, Price Chopper already has a handful of stores in the Syracuse area.
“Most of the stores Price Chopper is trying to acquire are in central New York, in and around Syracuse.”
- KC's View:
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A number of people have commented on this to me over the past day or so, and my response is this. Both Wegmans and Price Chopper are great companies. If they compete more directly, I suspect they will make each other better. Wegmans is an icon, a legendary retailer...but it would be a mistake to underestimate Price Chopper.
