Report: Parent companies of Mariano's, Jewel consider massive merger

Bloomberg reported Thursday that the parent companies of Mariano's and Jewel are on the verge of a massive merger.

Kroger, whose stores include more than 40 Mariano's locations in Illinois, and Albertsons, which has more than 170 Jewel stores in the Chicago area, are considering a cash-and-stock deal worth $25 billion, according to Bloomberg. An anonymous source told Bloomberg the deal could happen as soon as Thursday night.

Kroger acquired Mariano's in 2015, adding to a roster of grocery chains across the nation that includes Roundy's, Ralphs, Food 4 Less and King Soopers.

Jewel was acquired by Albertsons in 1999, putting it under the same umbrella as the massive Safeway chain, which has more than 900 locations.