Rite Aid adding grocery departments in some stores

Seems everyone wants to be a grocery store these days.

Drug chain Rite Aid is converting 10 locations to include in-store grocery departments in partnership with Save-A-Lot food stores. The stores will be co-branded and called Save-A-Lot Food Stores/Rite Aid Pharmacy, and will continue to be owned and operated by Rite Aid. It's all a test, according to the company, and one that's part of Rite Aid's quest to identify niche markets.

All 10 stores are located in or near Greenville, S.C.. All will remain open during the conversion with remodels completed by the end of October.

Save-A-Lot is an extreme discounter and retail arm of grocery distributor SuperValu. It currently operates 1,200 stores and claims to sell goods for up to 40% less than conventional grocery stores. The Rite Aid stores slated for conversion will have the usual assortment of merchandise -- namely health and beauty items according to Supermarket News -- reduced to accommodate the grocery departments, which will include fresh meat and produce.