ATLANTA — Kroger was expected to announce today it is buying 12 Harris Teeter grocery stores in metro Atlanta.

        Managers were told of the impending sale Sunday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

        Harris Teeter has struggled to gain a foothold in the city's competitive grocery store market dominated by Cincinnati-based Kroger, which has 107 stores in the area, and Publix, which has 90.

        It was unclear which stores are part of the transaction or whether those stores would close. Harris Teeter, based in Matthews, N.C., has said metro Atlanta is not a key market. The chain has 162 stores in the Southeast, including 13 in metro Atlanta.

        Kroger spokeswoman Anet Granger said the company would make an announcement Monday.

        Fred Morganthal II, president of Harris Teeter, told the newspaper he had no comment Sunday night.

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