Laguna Albertsons to become Haggen Food & Pharmacy

The Albertsons supermarket at 30922 S. Coast Hwy. in Laguna Beach will be part of a 146-store acquisition by Haggen Food & Pharmacy this year, according to a news release.

Haggen, a grocery chain founded in 1933 in Bellingham, Wash., currently has 18 stores and 16 pharmacies in Oregon and Washington.

The company said it will acquire 146 stores “as part of the divestment process brought about by the Federal Trade Commission’s review of the Albertsons LLC and Safeway merger.”

The Laguna Beach Albertsons will convert to a Haggen in the first half of the year, the release said, adding that employees will have the chance to stay on with Haggen.

The acquisition still needs FTC approval. If approved, Haggen will expand into California, Nevada and Arizona and grow from 2,000 employees to more than 10,000.

Bill Shaner, newly appointed chief executive of Haggen in the Pacific Southwest, said the chain has a heavy emphasis on fresh produce and quality meats and seafood.

“Haggen is between an Albertsons and Vons and what you might see to some extent in a Whole Foods,” Shaner said. “You will see a little tweak in assortment, a little tweak in the quality of the offerings.”

—Amy Senk and Shan Li