When Bi-Lo announced its intention to buy Tampa-based Sweetbay assets last May, that did not include Sweetbay’s Plant City-ba sed distribution center. As the new year begins, the future of center, the employment home to more than 200 people, remains uncertain.
With a sale still pending through the first quarter of 2014, Sweetbay Supermarkets throughout Tampa Bay haven’t changed their name to Winn-Dixie just yet.
But, once Bi-Lo Holdings, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, acquires 72 Sweetbay stores, the name will become extinct in Florida.
The lives of more than 250 people at the Sweetbay distribution center, located on Jim Johnson Road, in Plant City, are awaiting big changes after the center wasn’t included in the $265 million acquisition. Bi-Lo did not purchase the distribution center as part of the deal first announced in May 2013. Sweetbay filed a layoff notice with state officials in November, intending to permanently close both its corporate office on Sugar Palm Drive in Tampa and the distribution center “on or after” Jan. 1.
Word of the closing spread quickly throughout the employees even before it was announced. Bill Bleakley heard about it last May.
“I was back by the fuel island talking about it with another driver, when two of the mechanics from the shop walked over,” Bleakley said. “They had just come from a meeting upstairs … and asked if we had heard the news.
“That’s when they told us that (we) were all out of a job when it was complete,” Bleakley said.
Bleakley took a transfer to Food Lion in North Carolina to stay with the company. Food Lion is also part of Delhaize Group, the parent company of Bi-Lo.
As of press time Jan. 8, the distribution center is still operating. But, once it closes, 183 workers involved in distribution and 75 on the trucking side will be laid off. A total of 88 employees at its headquarters also will be let go.
Most employees at the Tampa headquarters had an opportunity to interview with the Bi-Lo/Winn-Dixie team, but the outcome of those interviews has not yet been disclosed. Nicole Lebeau, a spokeswoman for Sweetbay, said she has heard of no mass hiring through Bi-Lo at the distribution center.
The closings are anticipated to take place after the sale.
“It’s a significant impact,” said City Manager Greg Horwedel before the holidays. “You have 250-plus people looking at a very un-Merry Christmas.”
The one million-square-foot center, which Sweetbay owns, has been an operating hub for the grocery chain since 1990.
“We have a broker (and) are working to sell the building,” Lebeau said. “We have had several folks look and inquire but don’t have anything official yet.”
Bi-Lo had its own reasons for not purchasing the distribution center. The company entered a long-term agreement in May 2013 with C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc. The Keene, N.H.-based company is the largest food wholesaler and 10th largest privately held company in the United States. C&S has provided procurement, warehouse and transportation services for Bi-Lo since 2005.
Repeated attempts to contact C&S officials were left unreturned. No official confirmation by Sweetbay has been made about any sale.
“There’s nothing finalized nor formalized yet,” Lebeau said about a sale to any potential buyers.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
A ‘BERRY’ BIG TRANSITION
The acquisition hasn’t only affect employees. For years, the Florida Strawberry Festival has partnered with Sweetbay to sell discounted tickets throughout the Tampa Bay area.
Now, Publix will take Sweetbay’s place as the title sponsor. The announcement was made in December.
“We are so happy to work with Publix in selling our advance tickets,” said Florida Strawberry Festival General Manager Paul Davis. “This will be a great partnership between two companies with like-minded values.”
Nearly 200 Publix stores throughout Hillsborough, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota counties will participate in selling advanced admission tickets.
“We are excited to partner with the Florida Strawberry Festival to offer this service to our customers,” Publix Media and Community Relations Manager Brian West said. “It is a wonderful community event with a family atmosphere our customers will surely enjoy.”
Tickets will go on sale at Publix stores starting Jan. 30 through March 9. They can be purchased at the customer service desks. Advanced discounted tickets are still $8 for adults, and $4 for children 6 to 12 years old. Children 5 and under are admitted free.
An list of participating Publix stores are available at flstrawberryfestival.com.