FreshXpress: Difference between revisions

| company_namename = FreshXpress

| company_logologo = [[File:FreshXpress.png|250px]]

| slogantype = Local, Fresh,= Friendly[[Supermarket]]

| predecessor = [[Kwik Save]], FreshXpress

| successor = Stores converted into [[Costcutter]]

| locations = 9 stores (at final closure)<ref name=ie>{{cite web |url=http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/future-not-so-bright-for--discounter-freshxpress-1341254.html |title=Future not so bright for discounter FreshXpress |publisherwork=The Irish Independent.ie |date=7 April 2008-04-07 |accessdate=2008-04access-date=19 April 2008}}</ref>

'''FreshXpress''' was a discount [[supermarket]] chain in the [[United Kingdom]]. It was originally formed in 2007, from the rump of the defunct [[Kwik Save]] chain, by Irish retail entrepreneur [[Brendan Murtagh]].

It existed in its original form between July 2007 and March 2008, culminating in it going into [[Administrative receivership|administration]], and was then resurrected in a smaller form, however, during 2009, the resurrected company also went into administration, and has since ceased to exist.

[[File:FreshXpress Fawdon.jpg|left|thumb|FreshXpress [[Fawdon]], [[Newcastle upon Tyne]], a typical style of FreshXpress store inherited from [[Kwik Save]], this store has since been demolished and a new [[Netto (store)|Netto]] store proposedbuilt.]]

In February 2007, Brendan Murtagh, aand his son Alan Murtagh, major shareholdershareholders in the [[County Cavan]]-based [[Kingspan]] building materials group, backed 70% of a £50 million rescue plan for [[Kwik Save]], with the Kwik Save managing director, Paul Niklas, covering the remaining 30%.<ref name=ie/>.

Murtagh's son Alan Murtagh had already been a director of the business before he got involved.<ref name=ie />

FreshXpress Retail Limited first had 56 stores,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kwiksave.co.uk/docs/KPMG%20Press%20Release%20.pdf KPMG |title=Press release |date=6 July 2007|publisher=Kwik Save}} {{Dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006021032/http://www.kwiksave.co.uk/docs/KPMG%20Press%20Release%20.pdf link|archive-date=March6 2008October 2007}}</ref> all of which were formerly ''Kwik Save'' stores before the chain went bankrupt. On 6 July 2007, 56 stores stayed open, forming FreshXpress in an £18m deal, saving around 600six hundred jobs.<ref>{{cite web |url=httphttps://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/2007/07/07/600-kwik-jobs-safe-89520-19420191/ |title=600 Kwik Jobs Safe |publisherwork=The Mirror |date=7 July 2007 |access-07-07date=8 July 2008 }}{{Dead link|accessdatedate=2008May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-07-08attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6279474.stm |title=Kwik Save shops sold in £18m deal |accessdateaccess-date=6 July 2007-07-06 |date=6 July 2007-07-06 |publisher=BBC News }}</ref> The FreshXpress stores officially opened on 21 July 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tankftp.trafika.co.uk/FreshXpress/docs/freshXpress%20launches.pdf |title=A fresh face on your doorstep |publisher=FreshXpress |accessdateaccess-date= 2008-03-16}} {{Dead link|date=JulyMarch 2008}}</ref> '''Prodo''' and '''The Think Tank''' assisted with the creation of the new brand.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prodo.com/casearchive-studies/freshxpress.php |title=FreshXpress Case Study |publisher=Prodo.com |accessdate= 2008-03-16}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thinktank.org.uk/casestudies/freshxpress_supermarkets.htm |title=FreshXpress Case Study |publisher=The Think Tank |accessdate=2008-07-25|archiveurl = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/2008061614184420070928200952/http%3A//www.thinktank.org.uk/casestudies/freshxpress_supermarkets.htm |archivedate = June 16, 2008|deadurl=yes}}</ref> In the middle of September 2007, due to poor trading results this portfolio of stores was reduced from 56 to just 23 better performing stores,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tankftp.trafika.co.uk/FreshXpress/store_listdocs/freshXpress%20launches.htmpdf |title=Store list |publisher=FreshXpress |accessdate= 2008archive-03-16}} {{Dead link|date=July28 2008September 2007}}</ref> the closed stores were sold in chunks to [[Tesco]], [[Sainsbury's]], and [[The Co-op]].<ref name=ie/>

Between September 2007 andto March 2008, more under performing FreshXpress stores were closed down, leaving just nine stores, and Mr Niklas cut his ties with the company.<ref name=ie/> In March 2008, FreshXpress went into administration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usdaw.org.uk/foodretail/news/1206633719_11013.html|title=FreshXpress soon goes stale|publisher=The official website of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers|date=27 March 2008|access-date=28 March 2008|url-03status=dead|archive-27 url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723135248/http://www.usdaw.org.uk/foodretail/news/1206633719_11013.html|accessdatearchive-date=23 July 2008|df=dmy-03-28all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2008/04/01/jobs-to-go-at-teesside-store-84229-20701814/ |title=Jobs to go at Teesside store |publisherwork=Evening Gazette |date=1 April 2008-04-01 |accessdateaccess-date=4 April 2008-04-04}}</ref> On 21 March, David Whitehouse, of ''Menzies Corporate Restructuring'', was appointed joint administrator.

=== April 2008 ===

Another vehicle called FX Holdings (formerly Ivybrim), presumably backed by Murtagh, received the go ahead at [[Manchester Crown Court]] to acquire the remaining operating outlets.<ref name=ie/> Andrew King, a former executive at [[Costcutter]], one of the company's suppliers was to head up a nine store chain with 130 employees.<ref name=ie/>

The parent company of the second incarnation of FreshXpress, FX Holdings was placed into administration, and subject to a request for a winding up order in April 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.companies-house.gov.uk/ |title=Companies House - FX Holdings |publisher=[[Companies House]] |date=10 August 2009 |access-08-date=10 August 2009 |accessdatearchive-url=2009https://web.archive.org/web/20080511185854/http://www.companies-08house.gov.uk/ |archive-10date=11 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/59050/pages/7446/page.pdf |title=London Gazette winding up order|publisherwork=[[The London Gazette]] |date=2009-04-30 |accessdate=April 2009 |access-10-date=30 October 2009 }}</ref> All the remaining stores were closed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=196526 |title=The last FreshXpress store closes its doors|publisher=[[The Grocer]] |date=2009-01-10 |accessdate=January 2009 |access-10-date=30 October 2009}}</ref>

[[Category:CompaniesRetail companies established in 2007]]

[[Category:CompaniesDefunct disestablishedsupermarkets inof 2009the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:CompaniesBritish thatcompanies haveestablished enteredin administration2007]]