Tracked down Mercedes from Big Bazar appears to be heavily damaged | RTL News

This is evident from research by RTL Z.

Big Bazar was founded in 2007 by Blokker to take a stand against competitor Action. Although the bargain chain grew to 133 locations, it never became a success. In 2021, Big Bazar came into the hands of the Frisian businessman Heerke Kooistra, who, however, was also unable to get the company on track. The retail chain went bankrupt last September.

Mercedes shit

Curators Hanneke De Coninck and Wybe Mollema, who have to settle the bankruptcy, then sold Big Bazar’s stocks for more than 4 million euros. But they discovered that a valuable company car, a Mercedes E-class, had disappeared.

The curators did not stop there and announced that they would track down the car. That now appears to have been successful. However, the Mercedes was severely damaged. The left front of the car was smashed, and the bumper was held in place with duct tape. The car’s paint showed scratches all around, the brake discs were rusted, and the car keys were missing.

Proceeds: 11,000 euros

It is not known how the seven-year-old car became so damaged. Both the curators and Kooistra were unavailable for comment today. Despite the damage, the Mercedes still fetched around eleven thousand euros, after deduction of auction costs. The trustees can pass on that money to the creditors of the bankrupt company.

However, most ordinary creditors of Big Bazar will see little return on their claim. To date, creditors have claimed a total of 36 million euros, with the tax authorities having priority with a claim of more than 9 million euros. The trustees only have about 3 million in cash, so far too little to even meet the tax authorities’ claim.

Big Bazar Belgium

What is new is that the trustees in turn demand another one million euros from the former Belgian business unit of Big Bazar. At the time of the bankruptcy, the Belgian branch had ten stores and remained outside the bankruptcy.

However, Big Bazar Belgium appears to be currently attempting to obtain debt restructuring and capital injection through the courts. The trustees’ claim falls within this debt restructuring, so it is unlikely that it will be paid in full.

Collection specialist Joost Konings from Collection Company has also submitted some claims from Dutch creditors to Big Bazar Belgium. “It concerns three suppliers of soap dispensers, pedal bins, cushions and perfumes, who together are owed around 46,000 euros.”

According to Konings, they entered into an arrangement with owner Kooistra, under which 8,000 euros have now been paid. “At the time, Kooistra said that the Belgian stores had no problems, but given the current debt restructuring, I have my heart for the creditors. They may not see their money back after all. Such reorganizations often ultimately result in bankruptcy.”