Sprouts Farmers Market and Sunflower Farmers Market are planning to merge, which would create one of the region’s largest fresh and natural grocery retailers. Subject to regulatory approval, the transaction is expected to close mid-spring.
Sprouts Farmers Market currently operates about 100 stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. The combined company will have 142 stores and about 10,000 employees, with several more stores slated to open in 2012 and beyond.
Post-merger, all Sunflower stores eventually will change their name to Sprouts. It has yet to be decided whether the deal will result in store closures. Private equity firm Apollo Management LP is overseeing the deal.