Wakefern, Morton Williams make A&P bids

A&P on Friday disclosed that Wakefern Food Corp. has been designated as a “stalking horse” for a package of 12 A&P and Pathmark stores set for auction.

Wakefern, the cooperative wholesaler behind the ShopRite brand, has bid $40 million for A&P stores in Danbury, Conn., and Lagrangeville, N.Y.; two Pathmark stores in New York (Bethpage and New Hyde Park); a Waldbaums store in Deer Park, N.Y.; and seven Pathmark stores in Pennsylvania (Brookhaven, Glenolden, Wyncote, Upper Darby and Philadelphia — Oregon Avenue, Aramingo Avenue and Monument Avenue.).

The auction for these stores is to be held on Oct. 8.

It was not clear whether Wakefern would hold onto the sites as corporate stores or distribute them among independent ShopRite and PriceRite operators but the deal if approved would expand the ShopRite brand primarily on Long Island and in the greater Philadelphia areas.

Also Friday, A&P designated Morton Williams Supermarkets as the lead bidder for a package of three of its Food Emporium stores in Manhattan. Morton Williams made bids for stores located on 1st Avenue and 63rd Street ($10.5 million); 8th Avenue and 50th Street ($7 million) and 3rd Avenue and 72nd Street ($4.75 million) for a total of $22.5 million.

A&P said that more than 100 bids are in for its stores as it winds down operations under a Chapter 11 selloff.