Hi, Quartz members! When America’s creaky food supply chain was unwinding pandemic-era disruptions in 2022, two of the country’s largest grocery store owners looked around the market and figured out that if they were ever going to compete with Walmart, they would have to grow. A merger seemed like an ideal solution for Kroger and Albertsons. So after some talks, Kroger agreed to buy Albertsons for $24.6 billion in stock and cash. Suggested Reading 12 cities in America that first-time homebuyers