Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co.
| Company type | Franchise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Supermarket) |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Joseph T. Newton Jr. |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Headquarters | South Carolina , United States |
Area served | South Carolina, southeastern Georgia |
Key people | Joseph T. Newton Jr. (founder), Joseph T. "Buzzy" Newton III (former president), David R. Schools (former president) |
| Products | Groceries, retail supermarket products |
Number of employees | 6000+ |
| Parent | Piggly Wiggly (franchise) |
Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. operated as a franchise of the Piggly Wiggly supermarket chain and was headquartered in South Carolina, United States. The company initiated the process of asset liquidation and dissolution in 2014.
History
Joseph T. Newton Jr. established Piggly Wiggly Wholesale in 1947 after acquiring a franchise of Piggly Wiggly.[1] In 1958, Burt Schools, who was Newton’s son-in-law, joined the enterprise, followed by Newton’s son, Joseph T. "Buzzy" Newton III, in 1962.[2] Initially located in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, the company relocated its primary warehouse to North Charleston, South Carolina in 1959. Under Newton’s guidance, the business expanded from supplying independent store owners to also managing its own retail outlets. Following the acquisition of thirty stores from Columbia-based Piggly Wiggly Carolina, the firm adopted the name Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. The brand gained recognition for offering national brands, competitive pricing strategies, and strong customer service during Joe Newton’s tenure.
In 1979, Joe Newton stepped down as president and assumed the role of chairman of the board; his son Buzzy Newton succeeded him as president. Joe Newton passed away in 1997; that same year, Burt Schools retired and took on the chairman position.
By 1999, the company had completed a new corporate headquarters at Albemarle Point Center along with a 612,000 square-foot distribution facility located in Berkeley County.
In 2005, Piggly Wiggly Carolina transitioned to being fully employee-owned through an ESOP, becoming South Carolina’s largest employee-owned retail enterprise. At that time, it serviced over 100 stores with annual revenues surpassing $800 million and employed more than 6,000 individuals across South Carolina and southeastern Georgia.
April 2007 marked the retirement of Buzzy Newton as president after 45 years with the company; he then became chairman. David R. Schools, Burt Schools’ son and Buzzy Newton’s nephew, was appointed president.[3]
Confronted with debt resulting from its ESOP conversion and intensifying competition—particularly around Charleston—in September 2013 Piggly Wiggly Carolina announced plans to sell 29 stores to BI-LO and Harris Teeter, effectively withdrawing from the Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia markets.[4] By November 2013, distribution centers in North Charleston and Jedburg were closed; remaining corporate and franchised outlets would receive supplies from C&S Wholesale Grocers’ Greenville warehouse.[5]
In October 2014, Piggly Wiggly Carolina requested shareholder consent to divest its retail and wholesale grocery operations by year-end and dissolve within three years. C&S Wholesale Grocers purchased operations including branding, marketing, store support services, accounting, IT functions, and the Greenbax loyalty program for $9.3 million. Meanwhile, twenty corporate-owned stores were sold to independent operators while approximately thirty independently managed stores remained under their current ownership. The proceeds were used to compensate ESOP participants with an estimated payout of $55 per share; senior executives were offered a collective $700,000 if they agreed not to compete for four years.[6][7]
Greenbax Enterprises
Founded in the 1950s as an affiliate of Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company, Greenbax Enterprises created the Greenbax trading stamp initiative to enhance customer loyalty. Initially, the program distributed physical stamps that customers could exchange for discounts on groceries and other products. Over time, Greenbax evolved into a digital format with the introduction of the Pig's Favorite Customer (PFC) card. This electronic system allows consumers to redeem Greenbax rewards not only at Piggly Wiggly locations but also via the Greenbax Online Catalog and through partner businesses associated with the program.
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