Bi-Lo Winn-Dixie Partners with C & S Wholesale Grocers
BI-LO Holding, parent company of BI-LO and Winn-Dixie grocery stores has entered into a partnership with C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. The company will provide warehouse, transportation and most procurement services for all 480 Winn-Dixie stores and continue providing services to all 206 BI-LO stores, according to a release.
“We believe this deal will allow us to leverage the experience and buying power of C&S so that we can continue to reinvest in our company and focus on selling great products at a good value to our customers,” said Randall Onstead, president and CEO of BI-LO Holding.C&S will control operations of Winn-Dixie’s six distribution centers by the end of the year. The company intends to operate the facilities as they are, with minimal staff changes. Associates will become C&S employees.
“We thank our Winn-Dixie distribution center associates for their contributions over the years,” added Onstead. “While we are saying goodbye to them as part of the Winn-Dixie family, we are very pleased that this transition provides them with continued employment. In addition, they will provide C&S with the knowledge and experience needed for a smooth transition."
“C&S is very excited about extending its eight-year relationship with BI-LO to include the Winn-Dixie stores and to further extending our presence in the South. We are proud to be a part of the ongoing transformation of the BI-LO Winn-Dixie business and look forward to welcoming the many Winn-Dixie associates to the C&S family,” said Rick Cohen, C&S chairman and CEO.
