Wow. Did not see this coming.

According to an exclusive news report, the families behind two major Northeast grocery chains have agreed to merge their stores together under one company and one organization. The Wegman family and the Golub family, owners of the Wegmans and Price Chopper supermarkets, have agreed to put their resources together into a combined chain of grocery stores that will become the largest such chain in the Northeast.

The merger, which has been negotiated for several months, will begin to take tangible shape over the summer. “Although there have been several claims of a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between our companies,” said spokesman Connie Morgan of the Price Chopper-Wegmans merger, “the truth is we’ve actually been working behind the scenes to provide the best possible shopping experience for our customers.”

“You don’t know how many times we’ve received e-mails and calls from residents in Western New York saying, ‘We wish there was a Price Chopper in our area,'” said Morgan. “We’re answering those customers’ requests today, and we hope that all former Wegmans store shoppers will find a great shopping experience at their new Price Chopper stores.”

Customers in cities currently serviced by Wegmans will see immediate changes in their stores. Some of the Wegmans stores will be rebranded as Price Chopper outlets, while cities that have both a Wegmans and a Price Chopper will see one of those stores close for good.

There will be a new Wegmans AdvantEdge Card, a loyalty card that will provide 10 cents per gallon off Sunoco gasoline purchases for every $100 spent at the new Wegmans-Price Chopper stores. To welcome Wegmans shoppers for the month of April, those who sign up for the loyalty card this month and who spend $50 in groceries will receive 20 cents per gallon off of their gasoline. In other words, they’ll save money on their upcoming April fuel.

For more information on the Price Chopper – Wegmans merger, visit this link.