Jacksonville-based Bi-Lo Holdings LLC announced a deal Friday to sell seven Bi-Lo supermarkets in North and South Carolina to Publix Super Markets
Inc.
That followed a Thursday announcement that Bi-Lo is buying 22 stores in South Carolina and Georgia from Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. Bi-Lo has another deal pending to buy 165 supermarkets from the Delhaize Group.
Bi-Lo Chief Executive Randall Onstead said the deals are part
of a long-term strategy to
refine the company’s store footprint.
“We have and will continue to fine-tune our company and network of stores so that we can reinvest in what matters most for our customers,” he said.
Bi-Lo, which merged with Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. last year, currently has 686 stores in eight Southeastern states.
Lakeland-based Publix has 1,073 stores in five states.