Belle Foods
 | |
| Founded | July 1, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | October 18, 2013 |
| Products | Dairy, Deli, Frozen Foods, Grocery, Meat, Produce, Health & Beauty Care |
| Slogan | Refreshingly Simple |
| Website | www.belle-foods.com |
Belle Foods, LLC was a family-owned chain of American supermarkets headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama,[1] which was operated by father-son team Bill White and Jeff White. The company officially began operation July 1, 2012, filed for bankruptcy in July 2013 and ceased operations in October 2013.[2] Before Bill White and Jeff White started running Belle Foods in mid-2012, the 57-store grocery chain employed approximately 3,000 people.[3]
Leading up to the bankruptcy, Belle Foods said in April 2013 that it would hire approx. 300 part-time employees. In order for this to happen, many full-time employees with over 20 years of experience had to be reduced to part-time or take a layoff. Bill White at the time said, "I could see that if I didn't move forward with these reductions, even more teammates could be negatively affected." [4]
Belle Foods filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on July 1, 2013, exactly one year after its founding.[5] In September 2013, Associated Wholesale Grocers was the only bidder (in a stalking horse bid) for Belle Foods stores being auctioned and offered just $16.1 million.[6]
In an ironic twist, not only was Belle Foods named "Retailer of the Year" in late 2012,[7] its CEO, Bill White, was elected to the National Grocers Association's Board of Directors in February 2013, about four months before Belle Foods declared bankruptcy.[8]
References
- ↑ "Contact." Belle Foods. Retrieved on October 5, 2012. "800 Lakeshore Pkwy Birmingham Alabama 35211"
- ↑ "Belle Foods to sell remaining 44 stores". AL.com. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ↑ "Father, son pursue dream with purchase of Southern Family's 57 grocery stores in 4 states". AL.com. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
- ↑ "Birmingham-based Belle Foods to hire 300 part-time employees and reduce its full-time workforce". AL.com. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ↑ Belle Foods files bankruptcy "Belle Foods files bankruptcy" Check
|url= - ↑ AWG is a Lone Bidder for Belle Foods; The Associated Grocers could have several new stores
- ↑ "Birmingham-based Belle Foods named Southeast Retailer of the Year". Birmingham Business Journal. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
- ↑ "NGA Elects Belle Foods’ Bill White To Board". The Shelby Report. Retrieved 4 July 2013.