Fresh & Easy

On February 9, 2006, Tesco announced that it planned to move into the United States by opening a chain of small format grocery stores in three Western states (Arizona, California and Nevada) in 2007 named Fresh & Easy.{{cite web | url = http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?pointerid=14163CB2412F41B1BD7765AC8DBE49EB | title = Tesco to enter United States | access-date = March 13, 2006 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060414194208/http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?pointerid=14163CB2412F41B1BD7765AC8DBE49EB | archive-date = April 14, 2006 | df = mdy-all }} The initial planned capital expenditure was up to £250m ($436m) per year. After Tesco CEO Terry Leahy announced serious resources had been committed to developing a format that would be popular with American consumers, investors responded with some skepticism with a small drop in the company's share price.{{cite news | author=Staff writers | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4695890.stm| work=BBC News | title=Tesco plans foray into US market|date=February 9, 2006| access-date=January 16, 2010}} The markets were expected to be around {{convert|1400|m2}}—good-sized supermarkets in many countries, but about one-third the size of an average supermarket in the USBritain's Tesco to Open Its First U.S. Stores in Southland, Los Angeles Times May 20, 2006. [https://archive.today/20120910205303/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tesco20may20,1,4395438.story?coll=la-headlines-business&ctrack=1&cset=true] By January 2007, Tesco opened its U.S. headquarters in El Segundo, California.{{cite web|url=http://www.elsegundo.net/upscale-british-retailer-moving-into-south-bay-12-09-2006.html|title=Upscale British retailer moving into South Bay, retrieved July 20, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829040803/http://www.elsegundo.net/upscale-british-retailer-moving-into-south-bay-12-09-2006.html|archive-date=August 29, 2007|df=mdy-all}} The company initially expanded into Southern California, Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada.{{cite news|url=http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2007/12/10/daily20.html?jst=b_ln_hl|title= Tesco signs deal for Fresh & Easy store in Bayview | first=J.K. |last=Dineen|newspaper=San Francisco Business Times, December 11, 2007 |access-date=2008-06-28}}

On April 21, 2009, Tesco reported a trading loss of £142m from Fresh & Easy.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} On October 4, 2010 Fresh & Easy announced that it was temporarily closing 13 stores because of shrinking populations, high percentage of housing foreclosures and high unemployment rates. The stores were being mothballed, with hope of reopening them when the economy improved. Six of the stores were in the Las Vegas area, six in the Phoenix area and one in Moreno Valley, California. Most of the closures were "C-level stores", doing less than $50,000 USD in weekly sales.{{cite web|url=http://supermarketnews.com/retail_financial/tesco_close_1005/?cid=updZ|title= 13 Fresh & Easy Stores to Close|publisher=Supermarketnews.com|access-date=September 9, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lvrj.com/business/fresh---easy-to-close-six-stores-in-las-vegas-104732049.html|title= Fresh & Easy to close six stores in Las Vegas|date= July 31, 2023|publisher=Lvrj.com}} The business was not expected to break even until 2012–13.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/25/tesco-sir-terry-leahy-retires | location=London | work=The Guardian | first=Zoe | last=Wood | title=How Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy changed the way Britain shops | date=February 25, 2011}} In the Strategic Review announcement in December 2012, research was showing that the company was not going to make a profit until the end of 2013 or even 2014. An article in the Los Angeles Times estimated that the chain had experienced "about $1.2 billion in cumulative annual losses" prior to 2013.{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fresh-easy-woes-20130321,0,197757.story|title= Five years in, Fresh & Easy markets are a flop | first=Shan |last=Li|newspaper=Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2013 |access-date=2013-03-22|date=March 21, 2013}}

In February 2013 it was reported that despite rumors, Tesco would not sell or close the chain.{{cite news|url=http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/No-closure-plans-Fresh--Easy-says-189715161.html|title=No closure plans, Fresh & Easy says|author=Mike Hornick|work=The Packer}} This "rumor" was based on the fact that Tesco Chief Executive Philip Clarke announced to shareholders that Tesco would close or sell Fresh & Easy.{{cite web |url=https://abc30.com/archive/8906939/ |title=Fresh and Easy may close U.S. stores | abc30.com |publisher=Abclocal.go.com |date=December 6, 2012 |access-date=May 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508095357/http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news%2Fbusiness&id=8906939 |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Tesco announced the sale of the chain on September 10, 2013, to Yucaipa Companies LLC.{{cite web |author=Kathleen |url=http://www.freshandeasy.com/news/post/2013/fresh-easy-acquired-by-the-yucaipa-companies-llc/ |title=Fresh & Easy Acquired by The Yucaipa Companies LLC | Fresh & Easy |publisher=Freshandeasy.com |date=September 10, 2013 |access-date=May 8, 2014 |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508110853/http://www.freshandeasy.com/news/post/2013/fresh-easy-acquired-by-the-yucaipa-companies-llc/ |url-status=dead }} In fact, Tesco was not so much selling the chain as "essentially paying Mr. Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos. to take on [Fresh & Easy's] liabilities" at a cost to Tesco of £150 million (approximately $235 million), while also providing the transferred chain with an £80 million loan.{{cite news|last1=Gordon|first1=Kathy|title=Yucaipa to Take Tesco's U.S. Unit Off Its Hands|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323595004579067121921967630|access-date=19 November 2014|work=Wall Street Journal|date=Sep 10, 2013}} On November 27, 2013, the sale to Yucaipa Companies was completed. Yucaipa acquired 167 Fresh & Easy stores and closed approximately 40 of them.{{cite news|last1=Ross|first1=Andrew S|title=Fresh & Easy introduces redesigned markets|url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/bottomline/article/Fresh-amp-Easy-introduces-redesigned-markets-5565977.php|access-date=19 November 2014|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=June 21, 2014}}

In a statement delivered shortly after the news was released, Burkle confirmed there would be changes to the stores' format, "to complete Tesco’s vision ... [and] make it even more relevant to today’s consumer."{{cite news| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-10/tesco-to-sell-fresh-easy-to-burkle-s-yucaipa-in-u-s-exit.html | work=Bloomberg | title=Tesco to Sell Fresh & Easy to Burkle's Yucaipa in U.S. Exit}} In June 2014, Fresh & Easy initiated a reintroduction campaign, emphasizing affordable organics, made-on-the-premises takeout, freshness, and the avoidance of artificial colors and flavors.

In its e-mail announcing the sale, Fresh & Easy said that customers would need to re-enroll in the Fresh & Easy Friends Card Loyalty program because "California state law does not allow the transfer of personal information of Friends Rewards members to the new buyer of Fresh & Easy"; after re-enrolling, "existing points and rewards balance will be honored."{{cite web |url=http://www.freshandeasy.com/contact-us/faq/friends/announcement/ |title=faq | Fresh & Easy |publisher=Freshandeasy.com |date=September 10, 2013 |access-date=May 8, 2014 |archive-date=May 7, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507161623/http://www.freshandeasy.com/contact-us/faq/friends/announcement/ |url-status=dead }}

On March 22, 2015, Fresh & Easy announced that 50 of its stores would close to redeploy its money into development of an e-commerce shopping service.{{Cite web|url=http://consumerist.com/2015/03/23/grocery-chain-fresh-easy-closing-50-stores-in-three-western-states/|title = Grocery Chain Fresh & Easy Closing 50 Stores in Three Western States|date = March 23, 2015}} 30 of the stores that would close were located in California.{{cite news| url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fresh-and-easy-20150323-story.html | work=Los Angeles Times | title=Fresh & Easy closing 30 stores in Southern California | date=March 23, 2015}} The service, named Click & Collect, underwent testing at stores in the Las Vegas Valley in anticipation of a chainwide rollout.

On October 21, 2015, Fresh & Easy announced it was closing all of its stores. Brendan Wonnacott, a spokesman for the chain, said Fresh & Easy was starting "the process for an organized wind-down." According to Wonnacott, Fresh & Easy did not have enough cash and could not obtain financing to continue operating the business. In a Chapter 7 manner, stores would be liquidated and closed within the next few weeks.{{cite web|last=Li|first=Shan|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-fresh-and-easy-closing-20151021-story.html|title=Fresh & Easy begins closing down stores|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=October 22, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/retail/fresh-easy-stores-closing-14-las-vegas-stores|title=Fresh & Easy stores closing 14 Las Vegas stores|work=Las Vegas Review–Journal|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=October 22, 2015}} The stores began a liquidation sale on October 24, 2015, and by November 13, 2015, all of their stores were closed, along with the termination of the Friends Rewards program.{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fresh-689037-easy-stores.html|title=Fresh & Easy markdowns begin as stores prepare to close|work=Orange County Register|date=October 24, 2015|access-date=October 25, 2015}} Since then, the Fresh & Easy brand has totally vanished.

On October 30, 2015, Fresh & Easy filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in two years.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/grocer-fresh-easy-files-for-bankruptcy-protection-1446210250|title=Grocer Fresh & Easy Files for Bankruptcy Protection|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=October 30, 2015|access-date=November 1, 2015}}

After negotiations between Fresh & Easy, through their financial advisers, FTI Consulting, Inc. and Industrial Assets Corp., led by Venice Gamble (the Director of Legal & Business Development for Industrial Assets)[https://www.linkedin.com/in/venice-gamble Venice Gamble] linkedin.com {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}} and Nyk Westbrook (who is the Director of Business Development for Industrial Assets Corp.[https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyk-westbrook-96920347 Nyk Westbrook] LinkedIn {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}}) for Industrial Assets Corp., and Mary Ann Kaptain (who is a Managing Director for FTI Consulting, Inc.) for Fresh & Easy, to have Industrial Assets Corp. and Maynards Industries become employed as the Auctioneer to liquidate Fresh & Easy's equipment, on November 5, 2015, Fresh & Easy filed an application for court approval to engage a liquidation company, Industrial Assets Corp. and Maynards Industries, to hold a public auction. Venice Gamble, the liquidation firm's Director of Legal & Business Development signed the Declaration in Support of Employment of the Auctioneer.[https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumenstbydocket/?docketId=570501&projectCode=FRE&docketNumber=68&source=DM Legal document] (See Exhibit 1 [Page 50-55] of the Pleadings).

On November 20, 2015, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court approved the request and application to have Industrial Assets Corp. and Maynards Industries employed as the auctioneer.[https://document.epiq11.com/document/getdocumenstbydocket/?docketId=571979&projectCode=FRE&docketNumber=190&source=DM Legal document]

On December 12, 2015, Industrial Assets Corp. and their subsidiaries, BidItUp Auctions Worldwide, together with Maynards Industries, held a public auction at Fresh & Easy's distribution center in Riverside, California, where all of Fresh & Easy's hard assets, including tractors, trailers, and other furnishings, fixtures, and equipment ("FF&E") were liquidated and sold at auction.{{Cite web|url=https://www.biditup.com/auction/1012/BY+ORDER+OF+THE+U+S+BANKRUPTCY+COURT+CASE+1|title = By Order of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Case # 1:15-Bk-12220 - Fresh & Easy LLC. Late Model Rolling Stock Assets of Major West Coast Refrigerated Food Distribution Facility}}

Timothy John Rollit Mason is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Fresh & Easy.{{cite web |url=http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=654392&symbol=TSCO.L |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071208160028/http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=654392&symbol=TSCO.L |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 8, 2007 |title=EXECUTIVE PROFILE* Tim J. R. Mason |publisher=businessweek.com |access-date=December 3, 2007}} He joined Tesco in 1982 and became a member of the Board in 1995.{{cite web|url=http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?pointerid=E2FD4202BBB94E7EAF5375C88FD67FA2 |title=Board of directors |publisher=tescocorporate.com |access-date=December 3, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107163345/http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?pointerid=E2FD4202BBB94E7EAF5375C88FD67FA2 |archive-date=November 7, 2007 }} Mason relocated to the U.S. with his family as part of the assignment of building the U.S. presence. He led the team researching the U.S. market prior to the company opening its first American store. In March 2011, Mason took on new roles as deputy chief executive and chief marketing officer within Tesco, and now spends about a third of his time outside of the US.{{cite news|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/77287ea4-b217-11e0-9d80-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1cvfWCrGj |title=Financial Times report, July 19, 2011 |newspaper=Financial Times |date=July 19, 2011 |publisher=Ft.com |access-date=September 9, 2012}}

It was reported in December 2012 that Tim Mason had resigned from Tesco.{{cite news |url=http://m.guardiannews.com/business/2012/dec/05/tesco-tim-mason-resignation |title=Tesco's Tim Mason to receive £5.7m following resignation |newspaper=The Guardian |date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=December 11, 2012|last1=Neville |first1=Simon }} He got a large bonus check when he resigned, totalling around £5.7 million.{{cite web|author=Simon Neville |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/dec/05/tesco-tim-mason-resignation |title=Tesco's Tim Mason to receive £5.7m following resignation | Business |date=December 5, 2012 |publisher=theguardian.com |access-date=May 8, 2014}} Most people criticized the company for giving him such a big payout despite the US stores not turning a profit.

Image:Fresh & Easy Las Vegas, Sun City Summerlin.jpg

Fresh & Easy announced in October, 2007, that the first California and Arizona stores would open November 8.{{cite news |author=Cathryn Creno |title=British grocer Tesco will open first U.S. stores soon in Calif., Ariz.|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/1012biz-tesco1012.html |work=azcentral.com |publisher=The Arizona Republic |date=October 12, 2007|access-date=October 13, 2007}} However, on November 1, 2007, Fresh & Easy opened its first store, in Hemet, California, as a "soft opening". (Soft openings are traditionally done in the retail business to test systems and store staff, and prepare for a larger "grand opening.") The Hemet store, near the company's distribution center, along with five others in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, then had their "grand opening" on November 8, 2007.{{Cite web|url=http://www.offmarketnnn.com/blog/off-market-fresh-easy-los-angeles-ca-sold|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106081310/http://www.offmarketnnn.com/blog/off-market-fresh-easy-los-angeles-ca-sold|url-status=dead|title=First Fresh & Easy Grocery Store Trades post bankruptcy|archive-date=January 6, 2015}}

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market employed 20 to 30 associates per store. Part-time employees were paid a starting hourly wage of $10 USD per hour. Those store employees who work at least 20 hours per week received a health insurance plan, which they also contributed to. Assistant managers, called Team Leaders, were paid $13 hour (California). In Arizona, each of these positions were paid US$1 per hour less. From April until the end of June 2008, Fresh & Easy took a pause from opening any new stores. That hiatus was lifted with the July 2, 2008, opening of a store in Manhattan Beach, California. As of October 5, 2011, there were 182 stores in Arizona, California, and Nevada.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

File:P4010072-Hybrid Parking Only-Clovis CA.jpgs at Clovis, California store.]]

;California

On September 8, 2010, Fresh & Easy opened 4 new stores in California, marking the 100th store for the state.{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS222116+08-Sep-2010+PRN20100908 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031183213/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUS222116+08-Sep-2010+PRN20100908 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 31, 2010 |work=Reuters |title=Fresh & Easy Opens First Store With CO2 Refrigeration System in Southern California |date=September 8, 2010}} By August 2011, with the first Northern California stores open, there were 128 stores operating in California. This totalled 130 after opening locations in Brentwood, California, and Antioch, California, between January and March 2012.

;Arizona

In July 2007, Tesco announced plans for several Arizona{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/0705biz-tesco0705.html |title=Arizona Republic, July 20, 2007|publisher=Azcentral.com|access-date=September 9, 2012}} stores. The first Mesa, Arizona, store opened December 5, 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/12/03/az/east_valley/em01.txt |title=The fresh&easy Neighborhood Market |date=December 2, 2007 |publisher=newszap.com |access-date=December 3, 2007}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} There were (as of August 2011) 28 locations in operation in the Phoenix area.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

;Nevada

The first five Nevada stores opened in the Las Vegas Valley area November 11, 2007.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/nov/11/tesco.businessandmedia |title=Tesco has a flutter in Vegas |author=Zoe Wood |date=November 11, 2007 |publisher=guardian.co.uk |access-date=December 3, 2007 |location=London}} There were 21 stores in operation in and around Las Vegas in August 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.freshandeasy.com/WhereWeAre.aspx|title=Stores – Fresh & Easy|publisher=Freshandeasy.com|access-date=September 9, 2012|archive-date=August 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120807050751/http://www.freshandeasy.com/whereweare.aspx|url-status=dead}} Many stores were opened in the locations of former Rite-Aid Pharmacies.

Tesco purchased a {{convert|130000|m2}} distribution centre in unincorporated Riverside County, adjacent to the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley on land that was part of the former March Air Reserve Base.{{cite web |url=http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwest/stories/PE_News_Local_D_tesco25.1a57de7.html |title=I-215 LAND DEAL: Great Britain's largest grocery chain buys {{convert|88.4|acre|m2}} in an Inland business park |access-date=July 20, 2007 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926215626/http://www.pe.com/localnews/southwest/stories/PE_News_Local_D_tesco25.1a57de7.html |url-status=dead }} The company was seeking another distribution center location in Stockton, strategic for the Northern California region,{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=a_ehpKPFqg88&refer=uk |title=Tesco Is a 'Manageable Threat' to Safeway in U.S. (Update2) |author=Josh Fineman |date=December 4, 2007 |publisher=bloomberg.com |access-date=December 3, 2007}} and had considered another distribution centre in Phoenix.

On December 12, 2015, Industrial Assets Corp.{{cite web | url=https://www.biditup.com/past-auctions.php | title=Past Auctions }} and Maynards Industries held a public auction sale on behalf of the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Estate at the Distribution Centre in Riverside, CA [https://www.biditup.com/db-files/1447948722-775844.pdf Industrial assets] biditup.com

Fresh & Easy made a commitment to building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified buildings. Its food transportation trailers were hybrid electric-diesel.{{cite web|url=http://www.penndda.com/carrier/pdf/ExtraMile.pdf|title=Transicold Newsletter|publisher=Penndda.com|access-date=September 9, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510004154/http://www.penndda.com/carrier/pdf/ExtraMile.pdf|archive-date=May 10, 2008|df=mdy-all}} The company contracted for the installation of a rooftop solar power system for its Riverside distribution center, capable of generating 2.6 million kilowatt hours per year—enough to supply a fifth of the depot's power needs and prevent the emission of 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide pollution per year; the contractor believed that it would be the largest such system in the world at the time.{{cite news|last1=Walsh|first1=Fiona|title=Tesco makes the most of the Sunshine State|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/jan/19/energy.supermarkets|access-date=24 January 2015|work=The Guardian|date=19 January 2007}} Stores were equipped with LED lights in freezers, coolers and for outdoor signage.{{cite news |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fresh--easy-neighborhood-market-keeps-it-simple-and-keeps-prices-low-58577197.html|title=Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Keeps it Simple and Keeps Prices Low |date=November 1, 2007 |publisher=PR Newswire |access-date=January 26, 2015}} Some stores had reserved parking for hybrid cars.{{cite web|last1=Wonnacott|first1=Brendan|title=FRESH & EASY TO GIVE AWAY FREE "BAG FOR LIFE" FOR EARTH DAY|url=http://www.freshandeasy.com/media/7784/20080408%20fresheasy%20To%20Give%20Away%20Free%20Bag%20For%20Life%20For%20Earth%20Day.pdf|publisher=Fresh & Easy|access-date=26 January 2015|date=April 8, 2008|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213908/http://www.freshandeasy.com/media/7784/20080408%20fresheasy%20To%20Give%20Away%20Free%20Bag%20For%20Life%20For%20Earth%20Day.pdf|url-status=dead}}

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Category:Defunct supermarkets of the United States

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