Northeast Grocery Reportedly Explores Sale of 300 Stores

Northeast Grocery, the Schenectady-based parent company of Price Chopper and Tops Friendly Markets, is reportedly exploring a potential sale with investment bank UBS advising the process. The company, formed in 2021 from the merger of Price Chopper and Tops, operates nearly 300 stores across six Northeastern states and could be valued at over $1 billion including debt. The sale has drawn interest from private equity firms and other grocery chains, as Northeast Grocery faces competitive pressures from larger national grocers despite its solid market share. The company generates approximately $250 million in annual EBITDA and has stated it is open to growth opportunities including mergers and acquisitions, though it has neither confirmed nor denied the sale. The merger was initially intended to bolster competitiveness after Tops emerged from bankruptcy in 2018, with the FTC requiring store divestitures as part of the approval. Northeast Grocery continues to operate stores under both the Price Chopper and Tops brand names while navigating an increasingly challenging retail environment.