Winn-Dixie is reportedly planning to close almost 200 locations in a potential bankruptcy

Facebook/Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie.

• The parent company of supermarket chain Winn-Dixie is preparing for a potential bankruptcy filing, Bloomberg reported Friday.
• Almost 200 of Winn-Dixie's roughly 500 locations are set to close.
• The grocery industry has seen a major shakeup with the rise of e-commerce and Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods.

A regional supermarket chain is reportedly planning to close up to 200 shops as its parent company prepares to file for bankruptcy.

Bi-Lo LLC, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, is preparing a potential bankruptcy filing as soon as next month, people with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg.

Winn-Dixie will shutter close to 200 locations either before or after the filing, one person with knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg.

There are currently roughly 500 Winn-Dixie locations in the Southeastern part of the US, primarily in Florida.

Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods in 2017 has served as a major shake-up in the grocery business, as retailers such as Walmart and Kroger are making major investments into e-commerce. American grocers are also facing increased competition as lower-cost chains such as Aldi and Lidl enter the US market.

Winn-Dixie has struggled in recent years, with the chain previously filing for bankruptcy in 2005 and 2009. Bi-Lo acquired Winn-Dixie in 2012.

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