-=> Mike Powell wrote to DAVE DRUM <=-

 >  MP> They had all left this area long ago.  I was surprised to hear
 >  MP> that there were any left to be snapped up!

 > The acquisition - which includes Harveys Supermarket - will add
 > locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi
 > to Aldi's portfolio. Almost 300 of these stores are based in Florida.

 MP> I think they pulled out of Kentucky, and points north, sometime around
 MP> 2000.  I don't see Tennessee listed, either.  I have not been farther
 MP> south than Tennessee since 2000 so that explains why I didn't know they
 MP> were still going strong in the deep Southeast.  ;)

With the Land of DeSantis having over 300 locations unless Idalia did a 
whole lot of them in.

 > I only shopped a Winn Dixie one time. When I attended my 1st echo picnic
 > in Alabama. Had to get some ground beef for my planned  pot of red. The
 > service meat counter set me right up with some freshly coarse-ground 80/20
 > (chuck) and a small package of suet.

 MP> When I moved here, according to the locals, the meat counters ranked as
 MP> follows:  Pic-Pac, Winn Dixie, Kroger, and then Save-A-Lot.  Now the
 MP> first two are gone. I am not too surprised that you got good service.

I've learned a lot from the meat cutters at Humphrey's (my local go-to
for service meat). My area is very fortunate in having two, no, three
meat forward places - all of which compete not only for walk-in trade
but for food service business as well. Humphrey's and Magro's are (both)
complete operation from meat on-the-hoof to finished product. Turasky's
focuses on the meat processing from fresh carcasses and are mostly a
commercial operation - slthough they will sell retail to walk-ins. And
they have no "grocery" component to their business unlike Humphrey's
and Magro's.

Then there is Hy-Vee - a Wegman's-like regional chain which has the top
service meat department of all of the stupormarkups in town.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Angus Beef Pot Roast
 Categories: Beef, Vegetables, Potatoes, Herbs
      Yield: 10 Servings
 
      1 lg Yellow onion; fine chopped
      4 md Carrots; peeled, in 1-1/2"
           - pieces
      1 lb Sweet potatoes; peeled, in
           - 2" chunks
      2    Shallots; peeled, halved
           - horizontally
 14 1/2 oz Can beef broth
      3 lb Angus boneless chuck roast
      5    Fresh thyme sprigs
      1    Bay leaf
           Salt & pepper
 
  Place onion, carrots, potatoes, shallots and broth in
  slow-cooker and stir to combine.
  
  Place beef roast on top of vegetables; add thyme sprigs
  and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  
  Cover and roast on LOW for 9 to 11 hours, or until meat
  is tender.
  
  Remove meat and vegetables from slow-cooker and serve,
  discarding thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
  
  RECIPE FROM: https://www.hy-vee.com
  
  Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives
 
MMMMM

... "No word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause." -- Mark Twain

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