Here's Who Could Take Over Twin Cities Cub Food Stores

TWIN CITIES, MN — With news Friday that United Natural Foods is buying Supervalu for $2.9 billion, business analysts expect Minnesota's Cub Foods stores to get new owners in the near future.

United Natural plans to sell off Eden Prairie-based Supervalu's retail operations, which includes Cub.

"It's got a great future," Supervalu CEO Mark Gross, speaking to Minnesota Public Radio, said of the Stillwater-based grocery chain.

"Whoever is the owner of these stores, I think will do well." Cub, founded in 1968, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

While still dominant in the Twin Cities, surveys show its share of grocery purchases in the metro have fallen from 40 percent to 25 percent, reports the Star Tribune.

Supermarket industry analyst David Livingston believes grocery chains Kroger, based in Ohio, and Albertsons, based in Idaho, could take over Cub Foods stores.

Hy-Vee, which continues to expand its Twin Cities footprint, could also take over a few stores, Livingston told MPR News.

Hy-Vee recently announced that a Cub Foods location in Plymouth that closed two weeks ago will become a Hy-Vee store this fall.

Cub currently has more than 100 stores in Minnesota.

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