Supervalu has nearly doubled in size in the last 10 years, while shifting from a company that generated less than 46% of its revenues from retail stores to one that generates more than 77% of revenues from retail. Following the 2006 acquisition of about 1,200 Albertsons locations, retail revenues increased from $9.6 billion in fiscal 2002 to $28 billion in fiscal 2007. This month the company said it would seek strategic alternatives, including the possible sale of the company or some divisions, as the debt load from the Albertsons acquisition has prevented the company from making needed price investments. One bright spot over the past decade had been the growth of the company’s Save-A-Lot limited assortment banner, which grew from 998 locations in 2002 to 1,332 stores in 2012. Save-A-Lot’s sales in the first quarter of this year totaled nearly $1.3 billion, or 12.2% of total sales.
