GM DISTRIBUTOR BMK FILES CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY

STEPHANIE LOUGHRAN

CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. -- BMK, a distributor of general merchandise to supermarket and drug store chains, filed for bankruptcy protection last week in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.

Richard Craig, chief executive officer, BMK, based here, told SN that the company is committed to reviving its operations.

"We're taking this route in order to get the company reorganized and move forward," he said. "We'll come out of this as a much stronger financial model."

He said BMK has received positive feedback and support from its retail customers, which include Albertson's, Safeway, Raley's, Longs Drug Stores and Eckerd.

He said BMK's debt load, the tight financial market, a major recall on a toy and other company bankruptcies led the company to file Chapter 11. Information about BMK's assets and liabilities was not available.

Craig said BMK had revenues of $400 million last year and is profitable on an operating basis.

The company, which distributes toys, pet supplies and cosmetics, does business under other names, including The Berton Co., Advantage Merchandising, Wasatch Service & Supply, Nationmark Merchandising & Distribution, Jacks Service Co. and M.W. Kasch.