AWG to Take Control of Belle Foods
Supermarket News
Sep. 30, 2013 Elliot Zwiebach
DECATUR, Ala. — A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge here on Friday approved the sale of the remaining 43 Belle Foods stores to Associated Wholesale Grocers and several of its member companies, according to local sources.
The sources also said the court gave AWG the right to use the names Bruno’s and Food World in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida — a point of contention prior to the sale; the judge granted the right to those names in other states to C&S Wholesale Grocers, which is selling Belle Foods.
As previously reported, AWG agreed to pay $16.13 million for the stores.
AWG representatives could not be reached for comment. AWG was the only bidder in an auction last week.
AWG said in its bid it expected to keep 30 of the stores open and to close the other 13.
Local sources said Friday the new owners will begin taking control of the stores as soon as Monday.
