Manning, Summerton Pigs unaffected by Charleston company's decision

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A Charleston-based company'e decision to sell its chain of Piggly Wiggly stores and exit the grocery industry will not affect the Manning and Summerton stores. "Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. has sold off all its stores to individual operators or is in the process of doing so," said Ricky McLeod, whose family has owned the Manning store since 1972 and the Summerton one since last year. "What this means is that every Piggly Wiggly in South Carolina will be individual-operator owned. But our stores have been owned individually like this for years, so the Manning and Summerton stores will remain open." The Post and Courier of Charleston reported Thursday that Greenbax Enterprises Inc., the privately owned parent of Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co., is seeking approval from its shareholders to sell its retail and wholesale grocery businesses by the end of the year. The approval would also mean the dissolution of the entire company within three years. "Greenbax has an employee stock ownership plan, so current or former workers who participates in the program own stock in the company," the Post and Courier reported. "As of March 2014, 82 percent of the shares were essentially held by employees in a trust." Greenbax needs two-thirds of its shareholders to approve the deal. Votes are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 5.