Fresh & Easy‘s parent company is considering selling its stores and pulling out of the U.S., leaving the fate of the eight stores in the central San Joaquin Valley up in the air.
But at least one retail expert said the end is near for Fresh & Easy.
“I think eventually they’ll pull out,” said Philadelphia-based independent retail expert Scott Testa. “They’ll probably find a buyer.”
But the stores didn’t make the kind of money its parent company wanted to see. Fresh & Easy entered an incredibly competitive environment, Testa said.
“This grocery business is a tough, tough business,” he said. “Margins are small.”
Signs of the retailer’s struggle were evident in the Valley.
The company closed the Fresh & Easy at Cedar and Shields avenues in January, part of at least two rounds of store closures companywide.
Related articles
- Fresh & Easy could exit Valley (fresnobee.com)
- Quoted – Fresh & Easy stores could pull out of Valley – Fresno Bee (scotttesta.com)
Filed under: retail Tagged: California, Fresh & Easy, Grocery store, Parent company, Philadelphia, retail, San Joaquin Valley, Tesco, United States
