Four 49th Parallel Grocery stores were on Country GrocerB次元官网网址檚 shopping list.

Country Grocer announced in a press release Tuesday, Feb. 14, that it is acquiring 49th ParallelB次元官网网址檚 four locations in Ladysmith, Chemainus, Cedar and Duncan.

B次元官网网址淐ountry Grocer is extremely excited about this acquisition, and we look forward to working with everyone on the 49th Parallel team,B次元官网网址� said Wally Large, co-founder of Country Grocer, in the press release.

Tyler Large, Country GrocerB次元官网网址檚 operations director for the central and north Island, said the 49th Parallel stores will be converted into Country Grocer stores, starting with the Duncan location within the next four to six weeks. The second location to be converted will be Chemainus, then Ladysmith, then Cedar.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to take some timeB次元官网网址�B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l slowly pick away at the different programs and stuff that we want to integrate into their stores and lots of their products and programs they have that we want to integrate into ours.B次元官网网址�

49th Parallel employs more than 380 team members, the release noted, and Tyler Large said the acquisition will have B次元官网网址渘o implications at allB次元官网网址� on staffing levels.

B次元官网网址淭hey have a lot of tremendous staff in all their locations and weB次元官网网址檙e looking forward to building relationships with all of them and working with all of them as the years go on,B次元官网网址� he said.

He added that Country Grocer and 49 Parallel run similar programs and carry similar products, and said the storeB次元官网网址檚 goal will be to continue to provide the value customers are used to, while adding value where possible and making B次元官网网址減ositive changes.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e compete with the big guys B次元官网网址� and weB次元官网网址檙e hoping with the addition of [these] four stores, weB次元官网网址檒l continue to compete in the fierce market that we have on Vancouver Island,B次元官网网址� the operations director said.

Expanding stores is a possibility down the road depending on the location, landlord and other factors, but for now, the 49 Parallel stores have B次元官网网址渕ore than enough space,B次元官网网址� he said.

Asked about the proximity of the Country Grocer in Chase River and the 49th Parallel in Cedar, the ops director said theyB次元官网网址檙e seen as two B次元官网网址渧ery distinct marketsB次元官网网址� and while he noted that there is some crossover, south Nanaimo is a fast-growing area with significant development in the works.

B次元官网网址淐edarB次元官网网址檚 its own community out there and we want to make sure that weB次元官网网址檙e providing all the value that the community has come to know and love for the last 15-20 years in that specific site,B次元官网网址� he said.

The press release noted that the transaction is part of a B次元官网网址渟uccession planB次元官网网址� for 49th ParallelB次元官网网址檚 shareholders, the Richmond family.

Peter Richmond, president and chief financial officer of 49th Parallel Grocery, said in a release that his family extends its B次元官网网址渟incerest thanksB次元官网网址� to the communities it has operated in, and to staff for their commitment to quality and service over the years.

B次元官网网址淲e are delighted to see the business become part of a bigger, multi-generational, family operated grocery business with similar family and community values as 49th Parallel Grocery,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淐ountry Grocer is the ideal ownership group to keep the independent voice alive and well here on Vancouver Island.B次元官网网址�

The acquisition will be finalized on Monday, Feb. 20. There will be 11 Country Grocer locations on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands once the conversions are complete.

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