The Yucaipa Cos. on Tuesday completed its acquisition of 150 Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores from Tesco PLC, salvaging most of the London-based retailer's struggling U.S. grocery stores. The deal was approved late Friday by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey in Wilmington, Del. The acquisition is being financed by the London-based retailer with a $126 million loan, part of an agreement reached before Tesco put Fresh & Easy into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. "We are excited about acquiring the Fresh & Easy business," Ron Burkle, managing partner of Los Angeles-based Yucaipa said in a statement. "We are building a great foundation and see an incredible opportunity to create a healthy convenient food experience." Yucaipa, a private investment firm, chose former 7-Eleven Inc. CEO James Keyes to operate the grocery chain as it emerges from bankruptcy.