Additional comments from Fleming are rarely available. In a press release, the company stressed that all facilities will remain open for business. The Chapter 11 will allow the company to "establish an improved capital and cost structure, and position itself for long-term success upon emergence," according to the release.

Fleming said it is negotiating with lenders on terms of debtor-in-possession financing. Additional progress will be forthcoming in the near future. The company said "it continues to receive supplies and service its customers."

Vendor payment is expected to be done in "on time and in the usual manner," said Peter Willmott, Fleming's interim president and CEO. "After a thorough analysis of Fleming's condition, the board of directors and senior management concluded that today's court filings were both prudent and necessary." Referencing the Kmart contract termination, he continued: "Against this backdrop, it became clear that filing for Chapter 11 was the only choice that would allow us to continue operating as a going concern, with renewed trade credit support, while negotiating with our creditors toward an adjustment in our debt level that would be more consistent with our operations, assets and current business model."

Fleming, in conjunction with the filing, will submit a variety of "first day motions" to support associates, customers and vendors. The company also is seeking court clearance to continue paying employee benefits, finance cash management programs and cover all professional fees related to the reorganization. The release said all vendors who provided goods or services to Fleming or its subsidiaries before today's filing may have pre-petition claims, which will be frozen pending court authorization of payment or consummation of a reorganization plan.

In its boilerplate information, Fleming touts itself as the No. 1 supplier of package goods. The national, multi-tier supply chain services nearly 50,000 retail locations, including supermarkets, convenience stores, discount stores, concessions, limited assortment, drug, supercenters, specialty, casinos, gift shops, military commissaries and exchanges and more. It also supplies more than 600 North American stores for IGA.