Haggen, which formed a new Pacific Southwest Division earlier this year following its purchase of 146 former Albertsons and Vons stores in the West, is still trying to get its footing in the new territory that covers Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. The struggle is leading Haggen it to “cut back on staffing.”
Bill Shaner, CEO of the Bellingham, Washington-based grocer’s Pacific Southwest Division, tells The Shelby Report that the grocer’s challenge is to “establish and grow the brand in competitive new markets, while working to bring the complete Haggen experience to our stores,” as it introduces itself to its new marketplace.
“To ensure we’re operating as efficiently as possible, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily cut back on staffing at our stores, with specific reductions varying by store,” he says. “We value the contributions these employees have made and are committed to treating all employees with the utmost respect and dignity through this transition. We will continue to monitor performance with the goal of restoring hours as we build customer affinity for Haggen and establish ourselves in the competitive grocery space.”
