Balls Food Stores announced in late October the acquisition of Schulte’s Fresh Foods in Jefferson City, Missouri. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Schulte’s store will continue to operate under its own name, according to the press release, noting that shoppers can expect the “same familiar faces and service they’ve always received at Schulte’s.”
Balls Food said it plans to expand the store’s offerings over time by adding fresh and local products, as well as equipping the location with new convenience-centered technology and new digital promotions and rewards programs.
This purchase by Balls Food, an employee-owned grocer since mid-2024, is part of the grocer’s continued growth strategy, per the announcement. The Kansas City, Missouri-based regional chain currently operates 25 supermarkets in the city’s greater metro area under the Hen House Market, Price Chopper, Sun Fresh, Payless Discount Foods and now Schulte’s Fresh Foods banners.
Regional grocer merger and acquisition activity continues to heat up in response to the growing dominance of discounters and specialty food retailers. Last month, Brookshire Grocery Co. announced plans to acquire two Louisiana Winn-Dixie stores and convert them into Super 1 Foods banner stores.
In September, the newly formed holding company from the family that runs Schnuck Markets agreed to buy all the shares of Wisconsin-based parent company of Skogen’s Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers, Inc. The holding company, called The 1939 Group, Inc., now runs the three grocers as sister companies with a 164-store footprint across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
