TORRANCE, Calif. -- Fresh & Easy will shutter its 97 remaining stores in California, Arizona and Nevada and cease operations after nearly a decade of struggling to catch on with consumers.
The Daily Breeze newspaper reports the grocery chain, headquartered in Torrance, announced Wednesday that all 3,000 of its employees will be laid off.
The company closed about 50 stores in March.
Fresh & Easy made a big splash when it opened in 2007, backed by British supermarket giant Tesco, which saw an opportunity to enter the U.S. market.
California-based The Yucaipa Cos. bought the chain out of bankruptcy in 2013.
The Daily Breeze said layoffs are expected to begin a week from Friday.