Retail

BATAVIA, ILL. AND JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — German discount grocer Aldi has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket as part of a larger divestiture of Jacksonville-based parent company Southeastern Grocers to various entities. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The Southeast-focused acquisition includes approximately 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Aldi, which maintains its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Ill., first established its presence in the Southeast in the mid-1990s and has since invested $2.5 billion in the region. Most recently, Aldi opened its 26th regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Ala., to help support new stores in the region. The retailer plans to open 20 new locations in the area by the end of the year. Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi, says the acquisition supports Aldi’s long-term growth strategy across the country. The grocer plans to open 120 new stores this year to reach a total of more than 2,400 stores by year’s end. Aldi will evaluate which Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations will be converted into Aldi stores. The stores that are not converted will continue to operate under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys brands. Deutsche Bank served …