Owner of Ralphs Lists Buyers for 14 Stores

The parent of the Ralphs/Hughes supermarket chain has submitted a list of potential buyers for 14 of the 19 stores that must be sold to comply with antitrust laws, the state attorney general’s office announced Monday.

Neither the attorney general nor Ralphs is at liberty to release the names on the list, spokesmen from both groups said.

Six stores in the San Fernando Valley and two in Santa Clarita Valley are among those to be sold, according to a court-ordered consent decree issued in February.

The sale of the stores has concerned many Valley residents upset about losing Hughes and worried that replacements will not offer enough choices.

“We want an independent market that will be responsive to the community,” said Dee Gelb, a Sherman Oaks resident who has begun a drive to prevent replacing the stores with other large chains.

Fred Meyer Inc., whose Ralphs Grocery chain closed the deal to acquire Hughes Family Markets in March, submitted their list with the attorney general Thursday--the last day possible under the consent decree.

The attorney general’s office had miscalculated the deadline as being Aug. 27, but later realized it had the wrong closing date of the acquisition deal, said spokeswoman Staci Turner.

The attorney general has 30 calendar days to review the proposals and determine whether the potential buyers would bring acceptable competition, but the review period could be extended to 45 days, she said.

Fred Meyer has three months before it must submit potential buyers for the remaining five stores, Turner said.

“We’re losing some great stores, but that comes with this type of thing,” said Ari Swiller, vice president of external affairs for Ralphs. “The attorney general’s people have been very accommodating, and we’re generally happy with the way things are going.”