Popular retail brand files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Retail suppliers are essential to the survival of retailers, since without adequate inventory to sell, stores can't generate necessary revenue to remain in business. Suppliers occasionally have hard times and sometimes need to file bankruptcy to stay afloat. Some of those suppliers will reorganize and continue operating. Others will sell their assets to a new operator or may have such severe financial distress that they will need liquidate and go out of business.

Fresno, Calif.-based Prima Wawona, the nation's largest peach producer that supplies grocers like Walmart and Kroger KR, filed for Chapter 11 on Oct. 13 seeking to sell its assets to its lenders or a third party buyer. The debtor's lenders have agreed to allow the company to use its cash to fund operations and keep paying vendors and suppliers while the bankruptcy case proceeds.

Related: Beloved fast-food chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Instant Brands, maker of Instant Pot, Corning and Pyrex kitchenware, filed for Chapter 11 in June to seek a sale of its assets. The company, which sells its products to numerous retailers, including Walmart and Target TGT, reached an agreement in bankruptcy to sell its assets to private equity firm Centre Lane Partners. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. 

Party supply retailer Party City filed Chapter 11 in January to restructure its debts after rising inflation, supply chain issues, a helium shortage and fallout from the Covid pandemic caused financial distress. The retailer emerged from bankruptcy in October. Party City's suppliers may not have had an effect on its bankruptcy, but the retailer did have an effect on its suppliers' financial health.

Anagram Balloons seeks sale in Chapter 11

Party City's affiliate and a top supplier Anagram Balloons on Nov. 8 filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston seeking to sell its assets to its first-lien note lenders. The company listed $100 million to $500 million in assets and liabilities in its petition.

The Eden Prairie, Minn., balloon retailer manufactures and sells foil balloons and inflated décor domestically and internationally to party supply specialty stores, grocers, mass marketers, parks, drugstores and discount variety stores. The wholly owned subsidiary of Party City provides products directly to retailers like Walmart WMT, Dollar Treen DLTR and Canadian Tire and through domestic and international distributors. The balloon maker was not a debtor in Party City's Chapter 11.

Anagram currently employs about 350 employees and operates a 500,000 square-foot manufacturing, production and distribution facility.

Anagram has faced financial distress resulting from Party City's rejection of contracts in its Chapter 11 case, unsustainable debt on its balance sheet, lingering effects from the Covid-19 pandemic, global inflation and helium shortages that put strain on its balance sheet. The company sought a restructuring solution with its creditors, but was unable to reach a consensus on a reorganization transaction, according to a declaration from the company's Chief Restructuring Officer Adrian Frankum of Ankura Consulting Group. 

Debtor Anagram Holdings filed a motion seeking $22 million in senior secured debtor-in-possession financing with $10 million available immediately on approval of a interim order in order to fund the bankruptcy case and sales process. The remainder would be available on final order approval. It also seeks a $15 million first-lien asset-based loan facility from its prepetition ABL lender Wells Fargo that will roll up prepetition ABL obligations.

Prepetition lenders will credit bid at bankruptcy auction

The debtor's first-lien and DIP notes lender will submit a stalking horse credit bid for the full amount of the DIP and first-lien debt in a Section 363 auction of the company. It currently owes $110 million in prepetition first-lien debt, $84.7 million in Second Lien Note debt and $15 million to Wells Fargo in ABL debt.

The debtor will seek higher and better offers for its assets from potential buyers through a bankruptcy auction that is proposed for Dec. 5. The debtor is proposing to close the sale Dec. 29. A hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17 to consider the debtor's bidding procedures.

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