Midwestern grocery chain Harding’s Friendly Markets announced Monday it acquired four Village Market locations in Michigan. The locations will be rebranded and operated under the Harding’s banner, according to an emailed press release.
The storefronts span four different Michigan towns — Allegan, Colon, Decatur and Gobles — adding to Harding’s already well-established presence of approximately 30 stores in the state. Harding’s also has two stores in Indiana, according to the grocer’s website.
Harding’s President Curt DeVries said in a statement that the grocer plans to keep all current Village Market staffers.
The announcement did not specify how long transitioning the locations will take or if the stores will temporarily close.
“Our goal is to bring all the benefits Harding’s customers enjoy — quality, value, and neighborhood hospitality — to these new communities,” DeVries said.
Harding’s store fleet spans across southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana, offering full-service grocery departments like deli, bakery, meat and produce. Select locations have a pharmacy. The grocer is locally owned and operated, aiming to keep “small-town values” at its center.
Scaled-down M&A activity is becoming more common across the grocery industry as independent and regional food retailers look to level the playing field against grocery tycoons. Earlier this month, Wakefern Food Corp. acquired New York City supermarket chain Morton Williams, which runs 17 stores in the metropolitan area.
In May, Misfits Market acquired The Rounds, a regional, member-based business that restocks essentials for shoppers using reusable packaging.
