The supermarket chain had tried to join forces with Kroger, but judges sided with federal and state regulators who charged that the merger would reduce competition.

Albertsons is suing Kroger for breach of contract and accusing it of failing to exercise its “best efforts” to get regulatory approval for the merger.

A federal judge has ruled against Kroger’s $25 billion takeover bid for Albertsons, granting a preliminary injunction blocking the deal. After holding a more than three-week "mini-trial" in August and September,