Albertson’s operator Supervalu fires CEO

NEW YORK - Supervalu Inc. on Monday fired its CEO and tapped Chairman Wayne Sales to lead its turnaround efforts, just weeks after the grocer reported dismal quarterly results and suggested it might put itself up for sale.

The Minneapolis-based operator of Albertson's, Jewel-Osco and other grocery chains said Craig Herkert, who was brought in as CEO in 2009 to help shake up things, was notified of his firing Sunday.

In a letter to employees, Sales vowed to move faster to cut prices and make "tough decisions" regarding cost-cutting. He said the company's "biggest enemy" is time.

"I am well aware of what our critics have said about us," wrote Sales, who has served on the board since 2006. "You are all familiar with our continued decline in sales, profitability and share value."

Supervalu and other supermarket chains have struggled in recent years amid intensifying competition from big-box retailers such as Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Corp., as well as dollar stores and drugstores that are expanding their grocery sections and luring away customers with lower prices. Traditional supermarkets now account for 51 percent of grocery sales, down from 66 percent in 2000, according to UBS Investment Research.

Even among its peers, however, Supervalu has been laggard and is scrambling to adapt. Last month, the company said its first-quarter profit fell by nearly half as revenue tumbled. The company suspended its dividend and said it was reviewing its options with financial advisers. While the company did not elaborate, such reviews traditionally include the possibility of selling the company.

Supervalu also said it plans to trim administrative and operational expenses by $250 million over the next two years.

In Nevada, Supervalu operates 35 Albertsons stores, including those in Boulder City, Elko, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Pahrump. On Monday, Mike Siemienas, a corporate spokesman for Supervalu, said customers shouldn't notice any changes to local Albertsons locations.

"We're accelerating our strategy to lower prices across all stores," Siemienas added. He said customers should begin to notice lower prices either this fiscal year or next.

"Right now our strategy is to attract customers back into our stores," Siemienas finished.

In a note to investors, Janney analyst Jonathan Feeney noted that Herkert's firing could remove buyer concerns about Supervalu's governance.

"While this move alone doesn't inspire confidence, it removes a key perceived hurdle in the company's review of strategic options," he wrote.

Since bringing in Herkert, a former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. executive, Supervalu has put a heavier emphasis on lower prices and tried to position itself as a neighborhood store to draw new shoppers and keep customers. But the efforts haven't paid off.

The company said a bankruptcy filing is not under consideration.

Sales, 62, is the retired vice chairman of Canadian Tire Corp. and was its president and CEO from 2000 to 2006. He previously served in various roles at Kmart Corp.'s U.S. division.

Review-Journal reporter Laura Carroll contributed to this report.