Content about Fresh & Easy

LOS ANGELES — U.K.-based Tesco has lost up to $2 billion in its failed Fresh & Easy California venture, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times — Tesco had placed the troubled grocer on the sales bloc in December following the departure of Fresh & Easy CEO Tim Mason. 

The retailer's struggles can be traced to labor unions and an ambitious investment into an 850,000-sq.-ft. distribution center that placed pressure on the 200-store chain to expand rapidly, according to the LA Times report. 

Tesco arrived in the U.S. in 2007 amid great fanfare with its first Fresh & Easy stores. Now, just five years later, the 30 year Tesco veteran in charge of the 200 unit operation is gone and the company is looking to unload the stores.

NEW YORK — U.K. retailing giant Tesco PLC could give up its American supermarket venture, Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, if the chain continues to disappoint and not make a profit, according to various news reports.

In remarks at the company’s annual meeting on Friday, Tesco CEO Philip Clarke said: “If we see there is no chance of success, we’ll do as we’ve just done in Japan,” referring to Tesco’s deal this month to exit that market.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy Tuesday made its Sacramento, Calif. debut with the opening of two new stores in the region. The retailer plans to open five new stores in the Sacramento area this month.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresh & Easy is slated to open its first six stores in the Sacramento region in 2012.

The stores will include three in Sacramento, one in Lincoln, one in Elk Grove and one in Folsom. The chain, which has opened 13 stores in northern California this year, opened a store in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco last week.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Tesco said it is turning its attention to its U.S. supermarket chain, according to the company's annual report.

According to the company, despite the fact that its U.S. operations, which include its Fresh & Easy supermarket chain, have been slower to recover when compared with its European counterparts, Tesco said, "We are now seeing signs of improvement. ... Customer feedback at Fresh & Easy remains excellent, and strong growth in customer numbers is driving steady sales improvement in each store."

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Just in time for Earth Day, Fresh & Easy has introduced its private-label household cleaning and paper products.

The retailer's Green Things line, which now is available in stores, features household cleaners that are made with plant-based formulas, are biodegradable and pH-neutral and also are made without such chemicals as 1,4-dioxane, phosphates, dyes or perfumes.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Supermarket retailer Fresh & Easy, which operates stores in California, Arizona and Nevada, experienced increased losses this year, according to parent company Tesco.

The chain, which opened its doors in 2007 and has expanded its reach to include more than 165 stores to date, endured a loss of more than $300 million, during the 2010-2011 financial year ended Feb. 26, its parent company reported on Tuesday.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has entered Northern California with the opening of its first store in San Jose. The grocer also opened another Bay Area store in Danville today.