Bashas' looks to expand employee base

CHANDLER, Ariz. — Despite its long history of troubles, things appear to be looking up for regional supermarket chain Bashas’.

Bashas’, which operates more than 130 stores in Arizona, California and New Mexico under the Bashas’, Food City and AJ’s Fine Foods banners, announced plans Thursday for job fairs in Arizona — including in Phoenix, West Phoenix, Mesa and Tucson — where it will hire 400 new employees.

Bashas' spokeswoman Kristy Neid told Drug Store News that sales and customer counts lately had been increasing.

“Since our company was reorganized, our business has turned around,” Neid said. “We’ve streamlined our operations, improved our offerings and have become more price-competitive.”

The company filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in 2009 and was forced to close more than a dozen stores, though it rejected a $290 million buyout offer from Supervalu banner Albertsons in February 2010.