Food group Musgrave has completed the sale of its company-owned UK stores to independent retailers.

Musgrave, which decided in 2004 to divest its corporate stores, assigned all 125 of them by its self-imposed deadline of the end of 2007.

The 177-store Budgens network is now entirely in the hands of independents, who – along with 1,900 Londis stores – are supplied and supported by Musgrave.

Musgrave Retail Partners GB head of commercial development Daniel Quest said: “We have built a network of progressive entrepreneurs working at the heart of local communities with unparalleled knowledge of local needs and regional trends.

“The fact that our retail partners are independent benefits both the store owners and the communities they live and operate in.”