World Food Mart, one of Houston's largest and most beloved international grocery stores, has gone dark. The sprawling Beechnut market has temporarily closed after its parent companies filed for bankruptcy, leaving aisles of perishable goods and a loyal customer base wondering when, or if, the doors will swing open again. The closure is the latest turn in a bruising legal fight over the store's ownership that has dragged on since a proposed sale in 2014.
Store announces shutdown
In an April 2 social media post, the store said it had filed for bankruptcy and was shutting down temporarily, calling the decision one made "with a heavy heart" and thanking staff and shoppers for their support, according to the Houston Chronicle. Management also asked for "understanding, prayers and support" as it tries to navigate the mounting legal and financial trouble, the outlet reported.
A decade of litigation
The sudden closure traces back to a long-running dispute over a 2014 sale. Court records show World Food agreed that year to sell the grocery and its real estate to HHO United Group for $6.6 million. HHO sued in 2015, saying the seller refused to close on the deal. A Dallas County judge ultimately sided with HHO and ordered that roughly $3.8 million in profits be paid to the buyer, according to the Texas appellate record at Justia.
Bankruptcy filings and the trustee's move
As the judgment loomed, the fight spilled into bankruptcy court. Facing a temporary restraining order filed by HHO on March 30 to "trap sale proceeds," World Food Imports, Inc. and KGF World Food Warehouse, Inc. filed for Chapter 7 on March 31, 2026, the bankruptcy docket shows. The trustee, Scott M. Seidel, followed with a motion on April 3 asking the court to sell the business free and clear of liens and set a Section 341 meeting of creditors for May 6, 2026, according to the case docket at Inforuptcy.
Trustee seeks to finish the 2014 sale
The bankruptcy trustee has asked the court to finally complete the sale to HHO United Group and to sell the business and its assets "as is, where is," a move aimed at ending the decade-long dispute while preserving whatever value is left, the Houston Chronicle reports. The paper notes that many perishable products remain inside the shuttered store and would transfer to any buyer if the sale is approved.
What shoppers and workers face
The Beechnut location has long been a go-to stop for global groceries and halal meats. The World Food Mart website lists the store at 14625 Beechnut St., with regular hours that now mean little while operations appear fully paused. Employees, vendors and regulars are effectively in limbo as they watch the bankruptcy calendar and any sale hearing to see who emerges as the new owner and how outstanding claims against the business will be paid.
What's next
The case is expected to move through the trustee's proposed sale process and the usual Chapter 7 timeline, with creditors and potential buyers getting chances to weigh in at court hearings and the Section 341 meeting. Readers who want to track every twist, from the April 3 sale motion onward, can follow filings and upcoming dates on the case docket at Inforuptcy.
