Fresh & Easy Plans Northern California Entry in 2011

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market here said Wednesday it plans to enter Northern California early next year with eight stores — the chain's first units north of Fresno.

Of the eight locations, seven will be in the San Francisco Bay area — in the cities of San Francisco, Concord, Danville, Pacifica, San Jose, Vacaville and Walnut Creek — and one will be further inland, in Modesto.

Fresh & Easy, a division of London-based Tesco, operates 159 stores in California, Arizona and Nevada, though the bulk of its recent growth has been in California. The company said it plans to open nine more California stores in September, including its 100th store in the area.