The Dutch chain Spar bought 12 of the stores that still belong to Alisuper, in the Algarve, in a 750-euro deal, which allows it to keep a large part of the workers, but leaves out the arrears of wages.
The Público newspaper reported that the transfer of the stores follows the insolvency process of the company N&F, of the Nogueira group, which accumulates a liability of more than 35 million euros, and also includes the jobs of 78 people and the goods of the respective stores.
However, of these 78, only 58 workers will keep their functions. The rest leave via termination agreement or end of contract.
On the other hand, highlights the Correio da Manhã, quoting Maria José Madeira, of the Trade and Services Workers Union, the wages in arrears have not yet been paid and "will have to be claimed at the creditors' meeting", which will be held on the day April 26, at the Court of Viseu, where the insolvency process takes place.
Employees of the 12 stores – three in Albufeira, two in Lagos and one in Algoz, Armação de Pera, Boliqueime, Monte Gordo, Portimão, Silves and Vila Nova de Cacela – only on the 21st of March did they find out that they had a new boss, when it was handed over to them to sign a contract, which came into force two days later, on the 23rd of March.
They were also informed, according to union member Maria José Madeira, that the new contract would assume their seniority rights, but it would leave aside the arrears, which totaled 150 euros.
In 2014, only two of the 12 establishments in question will have registered a positive operating result.
In July 2015, when it was already facing serious difficulties, the Nogueira Group company sold the Alisuper stores in Caliços (Albufeira), Quinta do Lago and Vale de Lobo to Pingo Doce supermarket chain.
Months earlier, in May, the Intermarché had stayed with seven other Alisuper stores, in Albufeira, Alvor, Quarteira and Loulé. Intermarché also intended to buy two other stores, in Rogil and Sagres, but the Competition Authority did not authorize the deal.
The 58 stores that were then owned by Alisuper, as well as other assets of the Alicoop/Alisuper Group (90 percent of the newspaper Barlavento and 30 percent of Fábrica do Inglês, meanwhile already sold again), after a troubled insolvency process , were purchased in 2012 by Grupo Nogueira, from northern businessman José Nogueira.
On March 30, 2012, two of these stores – in Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo – were reopened with pomp and circumstance, with the presence of the then Minister of Economy, Álvaro Santos Pereira, and two secretaries of state. These two stores – considered to be the potentially most profitable – were sold to Pingo Doce, three years later.
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