Midwest grocer Harding’s announces 4-store acquisition

Grocery Dive reported the development on 2025-08-27. The regional chain will transition the Village Market locations it bought to its own banner.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Midwestern grocery chain Harding’s Friendly Markets announced Monday it acquired four Village Market locations in Michigan. The locations will be rebranded and operated under the Harding’s banner, according to an emailed press release.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Harding’s President Curt DeVries said in a statement that the grocer plans to keep all current Village Market staffers. The announcement did not specify how long transitioning the locations will take or if the stores will temporarily close. The development affects how grocers, restaurants and foodservice operators compete for consumer spending.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. “Our goal is to bring all the benefits Harding’s customers enjoy — quality, value, and neighborhood hospitality — to these new communities,” DeVries said. Harding’s store fleet spans across southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana, offering full-service grocery departments like deli, bakery, meat and produce. Select locations have a pharmacy.