Price Cutter finalizes Summer Fresh purchase

Springfield-based Price Cutter Supermarkets last week closed on the acquisition of the assets of Summer Fresh Supermarkets Inc. and its 10 regional grocery store operations.

The sale closed for an undisclosed amount Nov. 21, the day before Thanksgiving, according to a news release.

“The days leading up to Thanksgiving are some of the busiest for supermarkets, and it was imperative the transition in ownership be seamless for both Summer Fresh shoppers and associates. I’m pleased to report this has been the case and thank all involved for their support,” Price Cutter President and CEO Erick Taylor said in the release.

The acquisition includes a Save-A-Lot store that opened last year in Springfield. With the purchase, Price Cutter now operates 56 stores in Missouri and three other states.

Jeff Wingo, a Marshfield Summer Fresh store director, said the stores were prepared for the busy shopping week. On Nov. 16, Summer Fresh's 300 employees were invited to join Price Cutter as employee-owners, the release said.

The Best Choice and Always Save labels continue to be sold at Summer Fresh stores, as Price Cutter also purchases these brands from Associated Wholesale Grocers. "We recently expanded our warehouse to increase our buying power so as to provide customers with better prices on dry goods, frozen products and dairy items," Taylor added.

The purchase by Price Cutter, a subsidiary of Pyramid Foods Inc., ends a 35-year run for the Trottier family. Summer Fresh was founded by David and Lesley Trottier and had been owned by siblings Brent Brown and Summer Trottier.

The family retains the real estate and has signed long-term leases with Price Cutter. Eight stores operate as Summer Fresh Supermarkets in Lamar, El Dorado Springs, Marshfield, Conway, Mount Vernon, Fair Grove, Greenfield and Carl Junction, while two operate under the Save-A-Lot banner in Baxter Springs, Kan., and at 1117 E. Commercial St.[[In-content Ad]]