Grocery industry merger

When a $3.5 billion regional grocer merged with a $2.5 billion regional grocer, the challenges were multiple: to find synergies between the two chains, coalesce two distinct organizational cultures, and maintain unique customer propositions at each banner. AlixPartners was brought in to complete pre-close planning and integration activities, while preserving the distinctiveness of each banner. 

Our people finalized the integration roadmap, including timing of initiatives, value-capture tactics, and functional transitions. Also in pre-close planning we supported the anti-trust process, and created day-1 readiness plans. Pre-close planning identified an additional 10% in synergy potential and laid the groundwork for a smooth closing process.

Once the deal closed, we ran the integration management office on top of running functional initiatives like COGS reduction, procurement consolidation, headcount optimization, merchandising process development, shared services center design/stand up, and organizational design and transition.  

The merged organization is now providing services that accommodate each banner’s unique customer value proposition and we helped the client achieve synergies above and beyond our pre-close estimates.