UFCW 8-Golden State Union has been informed by Save Mart that the Jim Pattison Group has acquired its supermarket operations and distribution center, which include Save Mart, Lucky, FoodMaxx, Maxx Value, Yosemite Wholesale, and the Save Mart Office Division.
The announcement, released by the union, was confirmed by the media outlet The Fresno Bee in an interview with Ryan Barrington-Foote, president of The Jim Pattison Group based in Canada.
“This acquisition supports our group’s desire to continue our growth in the retail food business,” said Barrington-Foote to The Fresno Bee.
Save Mart Companies Sold for the Second Time in Less Than Two Years
This is the second time in two years that Save Mart Companies has changed ownership. In 2022, the grocer was sold to Los Angeles-based private equity firm Kingswood Capital Management LP.
According to its website, the Jim Pattison Group is a “diversified holding company” headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, and operates primarily in the United States and Canada.
In a press release, the UFCW 8-Golden State said that many of their members have been through this before, most recently with the Kingswood Capital Management acquisition.
They also assured workers that they would benefit from strong successor language, which would guarantee the continuation of their benefits and labor contracts. Save Mart also intends to continue normal operations and honor the language in its union contracts.
Related Article: Kingswood Capital Management Acquires The Save Mart Companies
“We intend to continue maintaining our longstanding and constructive relationship with The Save Mart Companies and the new owner, the Jim Pattison Group,” UFCW 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall said.
The contracts are set to expire later this year, and the union informed the company that they intend to have a new agreement for its members to vote on before the contract expiration. Thousands of members have already completed their contract negotiations questionnaires, and we have dates scheduled for bargaining in the coming weeks.
UFCW 8-Golden State said they look forward to meeting and working with the Jim Pattison Group as they continue serving the interests of the nearly 6,000 Union employees at The Save Mart Companies throughout California.
“Our members work tirelessly, both for the company and in service to their community, and their Union contract will continue to ensure fair wages, stable benefits, and working conditions and guarantee their rights are protected,” said President Loveall.