Schnuck Markets Acquires Festival Foods in Major Merger

ST. LOUIS, Missouri — Wisconsin supermarket chain Festival Foods is being acquired by Schnuck Markets, a St. Louis-based grocery chain. The deal involves Schnucks purchasing 100% of the shares of Skogen’s Festival Foods and its subsidiary, Hometown Grocers, with a closing date set for October. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The new parent company, the 1939 Group, is named after the year the first Schnuck grocery store opened. Both Festival Foods and Schnucks will maintain their separate corporate headquarters in Green Bay and St. Louis, respectively.

Festival Foods operates 51 stores across Wisconsin, with 42 under the Festival Foods banner and nine Hometown Grocers locations. Some of the Hometown Grocers stores include Dave’s County Market and Denny’s Supervalu.

Mark Skogen, the outgoing CEO of Festival Foods, expressed optimism about the transition: “Our focus has always been on treating every customer like a guest and giving back to the communities we serve. With Schnucks’ shared commitment to nourishing lives, this transition will help expand our impact across the Midwest.”

Todd Schnuck, Chairman and CEO of Schnuck Markets, highlighted the shared values of the two companies, including community focus and retail excellence. “With this combination, we’re welcoming more than 8,000 associates to our family,” he said, emphasizing the merger’s potential to unify two family legacies.

Upon completion, the 1939 Group will have over 19,000 employees under its umbrella. Early indications suggest that Festival Foods will retain its name and branding, as the new parent company aims to maintain the existing store banners that are respected in their communities.