Bi-Lo to merge with Food Lion

[crazycereal]

Food Lion, Bi-Lo in merger talks

11:59 AM EDT on Monday, October 5, 2009

Associated Press

UNDATED -- Belgian international food retailer Delhaize Group is in talks to buy shops and inventory worth $425 million from South Carolina-based BI-LO, a grocery chain that entered bankruptcy proceedings earlier this year.

In a statement Monday, Delhaize Group said it was in non-binding talks to acquire "a substantial majority" of BI-LO LLC's assets. It said the assets to be acquired had revenue of over $2 billion last year.

Delhaize said it intends to integrate BI-LO's shops into its Food Lion chain of shops. Food Lion has more than 1,300 stores in 11 states with 74,000 employees.

Mauldin, S.C.-based BI-LO LLC is a privately held company that operates 214 supermarkets in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee and employs around 15,500 people. It filed for Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in March.

Delhaize said the offer was subject to bankruptcy court approvals and that it hoped to complete a transaction after obtaining a non-appealable sale order from the court.

A representative for BI-LO could not be immediately reached for comment.

Food Lion, Bi-Lo in merger talks | Charlotte News, Weather, Sports | WCNC.com | Local News

Bummer, I like bi-lo, one of my favorite stores. I'm not a huge fan of Food Lion.

[gastonclipper]

Food Lion, Bi-Lo in merger talks
Bummer, I like bi-lo, one of my favorite stores. I'm not a huge fan of Food Lion.

I feel exactly the same way.

[CherryPicker]

Two words: Hello PUBLIX!!

[crazycereal]

I wish Here in Concord, if Bi-Lo changes to Food Lion..all we will have is Food Lion and Harris Teeter for grocery stores. We have a K-mart that does doubles and Wal mart of course. But just those two for regular grocery stores.

[rayflana]

I hope they continue to double coupons. Food Lion doesn't. I stopped shopping there years ago for the "big" stuff. We have Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, and Lowes Food, which all double.

[momoftwins+2]

I have two grocery stores that are close to my house. A Food Lion and a Bi-Lo. They are within 1/4 mile of each other. So scared that they will just close the Bi-Lo. I LOVE my Bi-Lo. The cashiers are friendly and they don't seem to mind my coupons at all. I do have to say that my experience at Food Lion has been the same (friendly and don't mind my coupons). It's just that Food Lion doesn't have the deals that Bi-Lo does. I only go to FL when they have a really good sale (like $1.99/10 lb potatoes and $0.10 mac n cheese). Other than that, they don't get my business. I practically LIVE at Bi-Lo. Dreading the day this happens (if it does).

[carolinagirl_ks]

i sure hope they don't close our Bi-Lo in Oburg, SC - it's the only decent grocery store around - and on top of it the only one who doubles my coupons! ho hum - this recession is getting the best of all of us!

[starladarcy]

Personally i do not know what a Bi lo is because i just moved to Burlington NC last year from VA beach.
I do know that i like food lion.I read last night that bi lo filed for bankruptcy
and that they only had 15,000 employees throughout NC.
it said that food lion employed over 80,000 and that the merger would be great for Bi lo's employment rate and customer intake.
I also saw that it quoted some employees saying that they want the 2 stores to merge to get better positions and more promotions

[crazycereal]

bi-lo doubles coupons...food lion doesnt... the stores by me have pretty much the same prices so i get a better deal at bi-lo.

when we first moved into this house we went to the food lion down the street and aparantly something had rotted in the milk/cheese section and drew in a bunch of flies...which laid eggs...and they hatched and there was a million dead and dying young flies all over the milk and packages of cheese, it took them a good week before they got those flies cleaned up. it was so digusting.

When I first moved to NC, I got a job in the deli of a food lion and got fired for arguing with one of the other employees about her re-labeling old sandwiches..needless to say, I don't buy sandwiches from the food lion deli.

I like bi-lo better!

[starladarcy]

bi-lo doubles coupons...food lion doesnt... the stores by me have pretty much the same prices so i get a better deal at bi-lo.

when we first moved into this house we went to the food lion down the street and aparantly something had rotted in the milk/cheese section and drew in a bunch of flies...which laid eggs...and they hatched and there was a million dead and dying young flies all over the milk and packages of cheese, it took them a good week before they got those flies cleaned up. it was so digusting.

When I first moved to NC, I got a job in the deli of a food lion and got fired for arguing with one of the other employees about her re-labeling old sandwiches..needless to say, I don't buy sandwiches from the food lion deli.

I like bi-lo better!

What about Lowes foods.I thought they doubled Q's too.I have only been there once but my neighbor says they have great deals and e offers.Also they have things called green points.She lives at that place.
I personally shop at Walmart and go to Food lion for their GOOD sales.
Wally world is my store of choice