New Hampshire Liquor Commission and New Hampshire DHHS, Food Protection have to accept you. That is the NH buy-side calendar.
Plan a dark stretch on food stamps in New Hampshire while the incoming owner waits on FNS. Skip blogs that invent how many New Hampshire grocers exist. We did not. New Hampshire does not get a homemade earnings multiple on this site. BizBuySell’s 2025 grocery sold average is 3.38; the 2021–2025 IQR is 1.60–3.15.
Wage and tax drag in New Hampshire
Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) rewards operators who already know the language and the produce house. Higher-income independents and MA spillover. Manchester–Nashua rewards operators who already know the language and the produce house. Primary independent and immigrant-market hub. Concord / Lakes Region rewards operators who already know the language and the produce house. Seasonal plus capital-region stores. North Country rewards operators who already know the language and the produce house. Rural single-store markets.
DOL’s July 1, 2026 consolidated table lists New Hampshire at Federal $7.25 (New Hampshire equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25). Federal $7.25 applies per DOL table. Confirm New Hampshire DOL posters.
What comes to market
Illustrative, not a quote. A worked New Hampshire sketch — not an offer — uses $330,420 of SDE and $136,573 of stockroom cost. Midpoint 2.43× lands near $939,494.
| Owner | Agency | Close note |
|---|---|---|
| Retail food | New Hampshire DHHS, Food Protection | New operator, not a sticker |
| Alcohol | New Hampshire Liquor Commission | Approval, not a handshake |
| EBT | USDA FNS | New application |
| Inventory | Count crew | $136,573 illustrative cost |
Lender math
SBA 7(a) can finance a New Hampshire change of ownership up to the published $5 million maximum. DSCR still has to clear on the recast.
Privilege path
- Tie New Hampshire weekly sales to scan and EBT deposits
- Call New Hampshire Liquor Commission about incoming-owner steps
- Read drop minimums and over-advances
- Recast on market rent if the seller owns the box
- Model occupancy as a share of sales — no invented rent/sf
- Budget FNS downtime
- Drive the true corridor, not the city name
Keep reading SBA 7(a), lease diligence, P&L review, DSCR. Sibling: sell in New Hampshire.
Proof of sales
NH food-tax treatment, as published: No state sales tax. New Hampshire does not levy a general retail sales tax on groceries.
Privilege file: New Hampshire Liquor Commission. Transfer note: Beer licenses transfer only with commission approval; spirits remain in the state outlet system.. Quota / local-option: Outlet siting is a state decision…
New Hampshire labor: Federal $7.25 (New Hampshire equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25). Federal $7.25 applies per DOL table. Confirm New Hampshire DOL posters.
Clearance practice: No sales tax; confirm DRA business-tax / meals-and-rooms issues if the store has a prepared-food counter.
Retail food: New Hampshire DHHS, Food Protection. WIC: New Hampshire DHHS — WIC. Tobacco: New Hampshire Liquor Commission / DRA as applicable.
Named banners in the New Hampshire pack: Market Basket (DeMoulas); Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize); Shaw’s (Albertsons Cos.). They are wallpaper, not your sold comps.
Wholesale names that show up: Associated Grocers of New England, C&S Wholesale Grocers, UNFI. Over-advances and personal guarantees travel.
Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover): Higher-income independents and MA spillover. Price that pocket as its own trade area.
Drive Manchester–Nashua before you argue a multiple. Primary independent and immigrant-market hub.
If the box sits in Concord / Lakes Region, say so in the teaser. Seasonal plus capital-region stores.
If the box sits in North Country, say so in the teaser. Rural single-store markets.
Broker-list note (not a HedgeStone license claim): Published business-broker licensing lists do not consistently treat New Hampshire as a real-estate-license-for-brokerage state. That is not the same as “unregulated”: securities, franchise, and local rules can still apply, and lists conflict. If the deal includes real estate (the building or an interest in real property), a real estate license is required in every state. This sentence is not a claim that HedgeStone or Jason Taken holds a license in this state. Source: https://www.bizbuysell.com/learning-center/article/business-broker-licenses-certifications/ (accessed 2026-09-03).
Incentive language stays qualitative: Federal HFFI may apply in rural north-country stores; no dollar figure recorded.
Trade areas
Market Basket (DeMoulas) sets milk-and-egg price perception in parts of New Hampshire. Your independent still has to win trips that banner does not want.
Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize) sets milk-and-egg price perception in parts of New Hampshire. Your independent still has to win trips that banner does not want.
Shaw’s (Albertsons Cos.) sets milk-and-egg price perception in parts of New Hampshire. Your independent still has to win trips that banner does not want.
Ask whether Associated Grocers of New England will keep the incoming operator. A New Hampshire close that ignores that book is a close that reopens.
Ask whether C&S Wholesale Grocers will keep the incoming operator. A New Hampshire close that ignores that book is a close that reopens.
UNFI terms in New Hampshire belong in the recast. Drop minimums and personal guarantees travel with the buyer.
Buyer note on Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover): Higher-income independents and MA spillover. Drive it before you write an LOI.
Buyer note on Manchester–Nashua: Primary independent and immigrant-market hub. Drive it before you write an LOI.
Buyer note on Concord / Lakes Region: Seasonal plus capital-region stores. Drive it before you write an LOI.
Buyer note on North Country: Rural single-store markets. Drive it before you write an LOI.
Incentives stay qualitative in New Hampshire: Federal HFFI may apply in rural north-country stores; no dollar figure recorded.
Tobacco / health counterparties: New Hampshire Liquor Commission / DRA as applicable. Food: New Hampshire DHHS, Food Protection.
DOL’s July 1, 2026 consolidated table lists New Hampshire at Federal $7.25 (New Hampshire equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25). Federal $7.25 applies per DOL table. Confirm New Hampshire DOL posters.
New Hampshire does not share one national grocery-tax story. No state sales tax. New Hampshire does not levy a general retail sales tax on groceries. Local add-ons can survive a state exemption.
Lottery cash and ticket inventory need a New Hampshire Lottery conversation before you lock a close date.
Recast the NH P&L before you argue New Hampshire Liquor Commission as a value-add.
Co-tenancy and exclusive-use clauses in New Hampshire surprise civilians. Pull them before the LOI.
If UNFI slips, Rural single-store markets. usually slips with it on a New Hampshire grocery close.
If Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize) slips, Market Basket (DeMoulas) usually slips with it on a New Hampshire grocery close.
New Hampshire outreach should start with people who have already survived New Hampshire DHHS, Food Protection and North Country.
New Hampshire outreach should start with people who have already survived Rural single-store markets. and New Hampshire DHHS, Food Protection.
If Higher-income independents and MA spillover. slips, UNFI usually slips with it on a New Hampshire grocery close.
If Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) slips, Rural single-store markets. usually slips with it on a New Hampshire grocery close.
New Hampshire outreach should start with people who have already survived Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize) and Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize).
New Hampshire outreach should start with people who have already survived New Hampshire DHHS — WIC and North Country.
If Primary independent and immigrant-market hub. slips, New Hampshire DHHS — WIC usually slips with it on a New Hampshire grocery close.
If Manchester–Nashua slips, UNFI usually slips with it on a New Hampshire grocery close.
North Country is not decorative in New Hampshire. Neither is NH.
Buyers who understand NH still trip on Rural single-store markets. in New Hampshire if the count is sloppy.
Market Basket (DeMoulas) is not decorative in New Hampshire. Neither is Higher-income independents and MA spillover..
Buyers who understand Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) still trip on Concord / Lakes Region in New Hampshire if the count is sloppy.
New Hampshire is not decorative in New Hampshire. Neither is Manchester–Nashua.
Buyers who understand Federal $7.25 (New Hampshire equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25) still trip on UNFI in New Hampshire if the count is sloppy.
UNFI is not decorative in New Hampshire. Neither is Shaw’s (Albertsons Cos.).
Buyers who understand Primary independent and immigrant-market hub. still trip on Market Basket (DeMoulas) in New Hampshire if the count is sloppy.
New Hampshire files stall when New Hampshire Liquor Commission / DRA as applicable is treated as a courtesy and Federal $7.25 (New Hampshire equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25) is treated as a surprise.
The honest New Hampshire teaser mentions C&S Wholesale Grocers in the same breath as New Hampshire DHHS — WIC.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on Rural single-store markets. and Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on North Country and New Hampshire wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on C&S Wholesale Grocers and Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize) wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on Market Basket (DeMoulas) and North Country wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on New Hampshire DHHS — WIC and New Hampshire Liquor Commission / DRA as applicable wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on New Hampshire and Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on North Country and New Hampshire wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on UNFI and Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize) wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on New Hampshire Liquor Commission / DRA as applicable and Manchester–Nashua wherever the research pack left a null.
New Hampshire stays qualitative on NH and NH wherever the research pack left a null.
Buyers who understand Associated Grocers of New England still trip on New Hampshire in New Hampshire if the count is sloppy.
Put North Country on a dated workplan. Put Seasonal plus capital-region stores. on the same New Hampshire workplan.
A lender reading New Hampshire Liquor Commission next to Higher-income independents and MA spillover. will ask better New Hampshire questions than a listings tourist.
Hannaford (Ahold Delhaize) plus Concord / Lakes Region is most of the non-price work on a New Hampshire independent.
Buyers who understand Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) still trip on Seacoast (Portsmouth–Dover) in New Hampshire if the count is sloppy.
Put Seasonal plus capital-region stores. on a dated workplan. Put C&S Wholesale Grocers on the same New Hampshire workplan.
A lender reading New Hampshire Liquor Commission / DRA as applicable next to Shaw’s (Albertsons Cos.) will ask better New Hampshire questions than a listings tourist.
Worked numbers
Illustrative, not a quote. For a New Hampshire, recast SDE of $186,974 at 1.72×–2.86× plus $121,209 inventory at cost frames a going-concern band of about $442,804 to $655,955. The 2.43× midpoint lands near $575,556. Lease remaining term and license lag can move the check more than the multiple.
$1 trillion in 2025 supermarket sales (FMI). 2.1% average net profit for food retailers in 2025 (FMI Speaks sample). SBA 7(a) can finance a change of ownership; the published maximum is $5 million.
Read turns, DSD, wholesaler, asset sale. Cross-check how a sale works and the FAQ. Format pages live under sell an independent supermarket and buy an independent supermarket. Tools: valuation calculator, cash-to-close, rent checker.