Food Fair

Food Fair, also known by its successor name Pantry Pride, was a large supermarket chain in the United States.

During the 1960s, Food Fair enjoyed great success, but the most significant purchase for the company was that of a small Philadelphia chain called Best Markets.

By the early 1970s, Food Fair had converted most of its stores to the Pantry Pride banner, and the company popularity grew further.

The western expansion proved exhausting for the predominantly East Coast retailer, eventually divesting the 50 stores by 1972.

By the end of 1978 the company took the first steps in the long journey out of bankruptcy by closing all of the JM Fields stores.

The company closed more than 50 stores in the area, even though they were the second-largest chain in greater Philadelphia in terms of market share.

By this time, Food Fair had emerged from bankruptcy, and was based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, under the name Pantry Pride Stores, Inc.

The company had entered into talks to be purchased by the Supermarkets General Corporation (Pathmark Stores) that same year, but discussions were abandoned when Pantry Pride's stockholders filed a complaint.

Pantry Pride outsourced their wholesale operations to Supervalu when they sold their Miami and Jacksonville distribution centers.

The owner of Devon Stores, who obtained about 10.4% of the merged company, then sought an ouster of the Pantry Pride Board of Directors.

In 1985, the last stores in southern Florida were sold to Red Apple Group, a New York supermarket chain owned by John Catsimatidis.

Food Fair logo