International Grocer Pulls Plug On New Bfresh Brand Rollout
Philadelphia will not be getting a new chain of urban-format grocery stores after all.
German conglomerate Ahold Delhaize, owner of supermarket brands Giant, Stop & Shop and Food Lion, announced Monday it has abandoned plans to roll out its new Bfresh concept nationwide, including three locations in Philly, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Three Bfresh locations had already opened in the Boston area, where Stop & Shop is a well-established brand. They will all close, with some Bfresh branding to be rolled into Stop & Shops.
Everything Fresh, an experimental precursor to Bfresh that opened in 2014 at 1222 Walnut St. in Philadelphia, will close on Nov. 25.
Ahold still plans to use the Everything Fresh storefront and its three planned Bfresh locations — in a former Eastern Mountain Sports at 3401 Chestnut St. and in under-construction condo buildings at 2301 Bainbridge St. and the intersection of Second and South streets — in other ways, according to a spokesman, who declined to name any possible backup plans.
The abrupt reversal for Bfresh does not leave Philly without urban-format stores, as Target has unveiled plans for multiple such locations in the city. Other out-of-market chains like Mom's Organic Market and Sprouts have recently or will soon open locations within the city.
