Regional US grocer Tops Markets has emerged as the likely buyer for Penn Traffic’s bankrupt retail operations after no competing bids were submitted for the 79-store chain.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


An auction scheduled to take place this week was cancelled by the Delaware bankruptcy court when Tops emerged as the only potential suitor. Instead, the court will hold a hearing on Monday (25 January) to consider Tops’ offer.


“We feel that our proposal is strong and are hopeful that the court will approve it,” a spokesperson for Tops said.


The spokesperson added that Tops plans to keep the majority of Penn Traffic’s stores open.


Tops’ offer, which is reportedly worth US$85m plus forgiveness of $100m in Penn Traffic debt, already beat other interest shown in the company and was consequently presented to the court as Penn’s preferred offer.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

However, the court has indicated that it will consider late bids.


Penn Traffic filed for bankruptcy protection for the third time in November. The company operates supermarkets under Bi-Lo, P&C and Quality banners in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact