A large grocery chain named Homeland Acquisition Corp. (HAC) Inc. is shutting down four of its Oklahoma stores. They will close by August 16, 2025.
This closure involves stores with three common names:
- Homeland
- United Supermarkets
- Discount Foods
HAC also has a Piggly Wiggly store closing in Gordon, Georgia, but the largest impact currently is in Oklahoma.
Why are they closing?
The reason is straightforward: the stores were not generating sufficient revenue.
Christin King, the marketing director at Homeland, said:
“By closing these stores, we can concentrate our efforts and dollars in stronger communities and grow where we see greater success.”
In other words, the company wants to invest its money and time in stores that are succeeding, rather than attempting to rescue money-losing stores.
Which stores are closing?
The company has not released all addresses publicly in all cases, but the four closing locations are all in Oklahoma, and they all have different banners. This is what we can confirm:
- 1 Homeland store
- 1 United Supermarkets store
- 1 Discount Foods store
- 1 other store with a HAC brand
- These stores are expected to close by mid-August 2025.
Who is HAC Inc.?
Homeland Acquisition Corp is Oklahoma City-based and runs about 80 grocery stores in the southern US. It runs some notable supermarket brands:
- Homeland (most well-liked in Oklahoma)
- United Supermarkets
- Piggly Wiggly
- CashSaver
- Discount Foods
- Food World
Homeland is Oklahoma’s biggest locally owned chain of grocery stores, with 36 outlets across the state.
The bigger picture: Why grocery stores are struggling
HAC’s not alone. Most grocery stores across the country are hurting. Why?
Here’s why grocery businesses are hurting:
- Inflation: Food prices are higher, but profits don’t necessarily tag along.
- More competition: People now shop Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and even Dollar General for groceries.
- Changing trends: People now want online pickup, promotions, and one-stop shopping.
- New stores: Discount and specialty stores are picking up more customers.
What the experts are saying
According to Arun Sundaram, a grocery market analyst at CFRA Research:
“The grocery market is highly competitive. Consumers are shifting their shopping habits, and the stores have to keep up or be left behind.”
That’s one of the primary reasons why even giants such as Kroger and Albertsons have been talking about mergers and shutting down underperforming stores.
What about Kroger and Albertsons?
Those two grocery giants tried to merge under a $25 billion bid in hopes of being more competitive with big guns such as Walmart and Amazon. But a federal judge rejected the merger in December 2024 on grounds that it would harm competition and raise prices for consumers.
With the merger no longer in the plans, both Kroger and Albertsons are surveying their stores and deciding which ones to close.
Case in point:
Kroger will close 60 stores in the next 18 months (announced in 2025).
But they’re also opening new stores in fast-growing cities.
What does this mean for shoppers in Oklahoma?
If you’re in Oklahoma and shop at one of the closing stores, here’s what to know:
You’ll need to find a new grocery store after August 16.
Homeland or CashSaver stores close to you may stay open.
Sale prices may appear toward the end of the day when the stores are closing (watch for going-out-of-business deals).
Some workers will be rehired at other HAC locations.
Why this matters to small towns
For all but a very few small towns, the local grocery store is as much a community as it is a grocery. When a store closes, it means:
- Fewer convenience choices for customers, especially those without cars.
- Fewer jobs for in-town residents.
- Fleeing stores that might sit idle.
This makes the closings even more painful, especially in poor or rural neighborhoods.
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Will more stores close in the future?
Yes, it’s likely. Grocery stores nationwide are reevaluating their business. If a store isn’t profitable, it can close.
But companies such as HAC insist they’re doing the following to assist as well:
- Make current stores better
- Target communities that value them
Offer better services like delivery or special savings plans
