$1.47 billion debt. In 1999, Pathmark proposed the sale of itself to Royal Ahold, a Dutch supermarket company which operated Edwards stores in the New York area. Under the terms of the deal, Edwards Super Food Stores would become Pathmarks. The sale was abandoned after the FTC rejected Ahold's offer to divest overlapping stores, saying the offer would "not preserve competition" in the New York area. Ahold decided to cancel the acquisition; in 2000 it announced that it would rebrand Edwards stores as Stop & Shop. 2000s Because the FTC did not allow Pathmark's acquisition plans, it filed for bankruptcy in July 2000, recovering early the next year. Pathmark, in 2001, bought six Grand Union supermarkets that Ahold was unable to buy. In 2005, the Yucaipa Companies bought a 40 percent stake in Pathmark. In February 2007, Pathmark partnered with Wild Oats Markets by adding Wild Oats-brand private label goods to the 141 Pathmarks. Approximately 150 organic and natural products were included in the partnership, among them: Italian sodas, balsamic vinegar, organic fruit spreads, and flatbread crackers. The A&P Takeover Later in 2007, Pathmark's competitor A&P bought it for $665 million; pending shareholder approval, along with complying with anti-trust laws. Conditions for the acquisition included the sale of six Pathmarks to competitors. Pathmark and A&P remained separate banners. Store level staff were not affected, while buying and back-office functions were consolidated. The merger was approved on December 3, with the sale completed that month. Pathmark Sav-A-Center In spring 2008, Pathmark introduced a "price impact" store concept, under the Pathmark Sav-A-Center brand. This format was introduced to remodeled stores in Irvington and South Edison, New Jersey. The Sav-A-Center name had been used for A&P stores in the 1980s, and for an A&P-owned chain of stores in the New Orleans area which were sold in 2007. After the concept was tested in the two Northern New Jersey stores, A&P announced the conversion of 16 Pathmark Super Centers, plus 8 of the 13 Philadelphia-area A&P Super Fresh stores to the Pathmark Sav-A-Center banner. A&P eventually rolled out the Sav-A-Center branding to Pathmark's website and circulars. In 2009, several changes were made to Pathmark. Among them, the North Edison, New Jersey store was closed, and a former A&P in nearby South Plainfield opened as a Pathmark Sav-A-Center. The North Plainfield Pathmark also closed as part of this store consolidation. Meanwhile, A&P was updating its