Report: Fresh & Easy 'Likely' To Close in U.S.

Fresh & Easy's time in America appears to have expired.

The chain's stores in Southern California and beyond will soon be closed or sold, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Owned by Britain's Tesco, the 199-market chain never quite caught on with American consumers.

Monrovia is flanked by Fresh & Easy stores in Arcadia and Duarte.

"We’re considering all options for the business, but it’s likely that the review will lead to Tesco exiting the U.S. market," wrote chief executive Philip Clarke in a blog post on the company website.

Analysts said the recession was partly to blame -- Fresh & Easy debuted in California, Nevada and Arizona in 2007, just as the economy was tanking. But, ultimately, consumers didn't warm to the concept.

"Though it attracted a small group of loyalists, Fresh & Easy largely failed to capture the imagination of American consumers who proved unaccustomed to British-style ready meals, self-service cash registers and unfamiliar store layouts," the Journal said.

Tesco's CEO told the paper: "It's likely, but not certain, that our presence in America will come to an end."