Savvy grocers with a recipe for expansion Albertsons Inc., one of the nation's largest grocery chains, bought the Shaw's and Star Market chains for more than \$2.1 billion in April to gain a foothold in New England and compete more aggressively against the region's top supermarket company, Stop  amp; Shop. Albertsons chief executive Larry Johnston and Shaw's president Nicola DiFelice spoke with Globe reporter Naomi Aoki.