Alex Lee, Inc., the parent company of Winston-Salem based Lowes Foods, announced an agreement to purchase 20 BI-LO stores in South Carolina and Georgia from Southeastern Grocers, Inc. The addition of these stores will enable Alex Lee to expand its geographic footprint, enhance operations across these markets, and offer great customer service for shoppers in these communities.

“We are excited to add these new locations to our retail store portfolio,” said Brian George, President & CEO, Alex Lee, Inc. “We have an opportunity to accelerate our growth in these markets while continuing to provide shoppers with a unique grocery shopping experience in their local communities.”

The stores will remain open as BI-LO stores until the transaction is complete, which is expected to take place over a staggered period from September to November 2020, pending customary closing requirements.  Alex Lee plans to operate 15 of the stores under the KJ’s Market IGA brand and five stores under the Lowes Foods brand.

Alex Lee expects to hire more than 2,000 employees to continue to serve the communities where the 20 stores are located.  Prior to the completion of the transaction, Alex Lee plans to meet with current BI-LO employees in those stores to discuss employment opportunities.

About Alex Lee, Inc.
Founded in 1931, Alex Lee is a family-owned and operated company that employs approximately 14,000 people. It serves as the parent company of Merchants Distributors, which provides full-service, wholesale distribution to supermarkets; Souto Foods, a distributor of authentic Hispanic foods; Lowes Foods, which operates full-service grocery stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia; and W. Lee Flowers, a wholesale distributor based in Scranton, South Carolina, which also owns and operates retail stores under the KJ’s Market and IGA brands.  Alex Lee is based in Hickory, North Carolina.