Winn-Dixie Stores Sold to Bi-Lo for $560M

[dixiegrrrrl]

See, Southerners will know why this is an important story.
Tell me, do you think it will be a good or bad change for Winn Dixie?
Anyone had experience with HI-LO?

The supermarket chain Winn-Dixie is being sold in a deal valued at $560 million to Bi-Lo LLC, the companies said Monday, creating a huge grocery operator in the South.

Shares of Winn-Dixie, which has more than twice the number of stores of its buyer, jumped over 70 percent Monday. The company had struggled in the past, entering into bankruptcy protection in 2005, but has been revamping operations in recent years.

The combined company will have about 690 stores and 63,000 workers in eight states in the southern U.S. Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. will become a privately held subsidiary and its ticker will be removed from the Nasdaq. Bi-Lo is a private company.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/winn-dixie-stores-sold-bi-lo-560m-15194841

[Syrinx]

1. I don't know

I think Bi-Lo was the company that originally took over Bruno's/Food World after the Bruno's executives were killed in the plane crash.

I believe Bi-Lo ran the company until sometime in 2009 when they sold the stores to a company called Southern Family Markets, or something like that.

That's when Food World really went to hell, as to the quality of their products. I don't buy much fresh produce or meat from them anymore. Their potatoes and onions often turn out to be rotten inside, their steaks are usually tough, and their hamburger has more than its fair share of gristle.

I used to admire Bruno's because they tolerated their employees being unionized, while Winn Dixie did not. Consequently, Bruno's/Food World employees were better-paid, and had better benefits, than the employees at Winn Dixie.

I have no idea about the current status of unions at those stores, but would be interested in knowing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Poor Brunos..I miss them.

Food World disappeared from our little town a few years back, at same time Wal-Mart built a "Super Center" a few miles down the road.
I had read of Food World being sold and re-sold.
All we have left here now is Wal-Mart, /Winn-Dixie, ( the meats have gone to hell) a Piggly Wiggly that offers cheap but poor quality foods, and a small local grocery store.
It's a 45 mile drive to any other options.

Are we seeing consolidation of food stores, I wonder.....not good if true.

[Syrinx]

3. Yes, I think we are... and more

There was a comedy record put out in the 1970's, by a troupe called Firesign Theatre. It was called "Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me The Pliers."

I was too young to hear it when it was new, but I discovered it as a high-school student in the eighties.

It was a rather minor, but memorable, plot-line of the record that, over time, all our corporations had eventually merged into one. And that corporation then performed a "hostile takeover" of the federal government.

It has always been a great, funny, "trippy" comedy masterpiece. But now it seems eerily and supernaturally prescient.

I was, for years, puzzled by the title of the album. But, in hindsight, it is obvious that the title translates to "Don't put out the joint, hand me the roach-clip."

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. I HAVE that album...!!!!!

Gotta give it another listen, I see.

used to listen to FST all the time in the 70's.
Forgot a lot of it, tho.........*giggle*.

[OneBlueDotBama]

5. Nick Danger

Do you have a key???? no had to split it with the sound effects man.... and WalMart used to undercut WinDixie across the street on Skyland Bvld, when WinDixie closed, Walmart stopped carrying competing brands, the only close competition was Bruno's and Foodworld, now have to drive quite a ways to find good quality meats and produce. Publix at North River seems to always have good product, but again you pay for it.

[Syrinx]

6. for some reason, I always think of that album as some esoteric rarity

I guess it's more well-known than I realized. At least by the "hep cats."