SALISBURY — Food Lion announced Wednesday it will purchase 62 BI-LO/Harveys Supermarket stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.

The stores will remain open as BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket until the transaction is complete, which is expected to take place over a staggered period from January to April 2021, pending regulatory approval and customary closing requirements. Food Lion plans to operate all the stores under the Food Lion banner. A news release said it expected to hire more than 4,650 people as associates at the stores, but it was unclear how existing employees would be affected.

“We are so excited to add these new locations to our more than 630 stores across Georgia and the Carolinas,” said Food Lion President Meg Ham. “We’ve been serving customers in these larger regions for almost 60 years. We’re thrilled to add these locations and serve even more towns and cities across these three states with fresh, quality products at affordable prices every day with the caring, friendly service customers expect from their local Food Lion.”

Food Lion will be served by ADUSA Distribution, LLC, through the Mauldin, South Carolina, distribution center once the transaction is complete. The distribution center will support the newly acquired 62 stores and Food Lion’s network of stores, a news release said. The handover is anticipated to be complete in the first half of 2021.