Court approves Tupperware's sale to lenders, paving way for brand's exit from bankruptcy
A U.S. bankruptcy judge has approved a sale of Tupperware Brands
NEW YORK — A U.S. bankruptcy judge approved a sale of Tupperware Brands on Tuesday, paving the way for the iconic food-shortage company to soon exit Chapter 11 protection and continue offering its products while undergoing a hoped-for revitalization.
The sale given the court’s green light in Delaware still is subject to closing conditions. Under terms of the deal, a group of lenders is buying Tupperware’s brand name and various operating assets for $23.5 million in cash and more than $63 million in debt relief.
Tupperware agreed to the lender takeover last week, pivoting from a previously planned asset auction. The brand said it expects to operate as The New Tupperware Co. upon completion of the deal.
Going forward, customers in “global core markets” will be able to purchase Tupperware products online and through the brand's decades-old network of independent sales consultants, but the new company is set to be “rebuilt with a start-up mentality,” Tupperware said.
The specifics of how that will look are unclear. Tupperware did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' requests for further comment Tuesday.
Tupperware once revolutionized food storage, with the brand's roots dating back to a post-World War II mission of helping families save money on food waste with an airtight lid seal. The plastic kitchenware saw explosive growth in the mid-20th century, notably with the rise of direct sales through “Tupperware parties."
First held in 1948, the parties were promoted as a way for women in particular to earn supplemental income by selling the containers to friends and neighbors. The system worked so well that Tupperware eventually removed its products
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