Albertsons is in talks to purchase the remaining 30-plus Haggen grocery stores in Washington and Oregon, according to multiple reports.

An auction hearing scheduled for Friday has been postponed until March 18 in paperwork filed Wednesday with U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware.

The Federal Trade Commission has approved the potential acquisition of the stores and Albertsons and Haggen are finalizing the purchase agreement, the union that represents Haggen workers told the Associated Press.

The Bellingham-based Haggen filed for bankruptcy after buying 146 stores across the West as part of the Albertsons-Safeway merger last year.

The chain sold or closed dozens of those stores, and is also being required to explore selling all of its operations, including its core profitable stores.

An auction was initially scheduled for early January, but the hearing has been delayed several times.