US grocery distributor Fleming has said it has entered into a deal to sell five supermarkets to US grocer Albertsons for around US$12m.

Fleming, which has been selling off parts of its 110-store, loss-making supermarket chain since November in a bid to reduce debt, said three of the stores being sold are situated in Salt Lake City, Utah, while the other two are in El Paso, Texas.

Fleming also said it has completed the sale of a Milwaukee, Wisconsin Rainbow Foods store to the independent supermarket operator Sentry Foods.