It’s been nearly a year since the parent company of Mariano’s agreed to buy the parent company of Jewel-Osco. With Kroger and Albertson’s combining in a $24.6 billion deal, the ramifications for Chicago shoppers were the possible deaths of their favorite grocery store brands. Why would a new Kroger-Albertson’s entity want dueling brands in Mariano’s and Jewel in the same market?

So loyal Chicago shoppers, the ones who make puns about “run the Jewels,” and the ones who enjoy drinking at a Mariano’s bar while listening to the pianist, waited for the federal government to review the deal. The FTC needed to determine if the merger would create unfair competition for other stores with an impact on pricing and the selection of items.