text: By GINGER CHRIST
  T-G Staff Writer
  A date has been set for the sale of Archway Cookies.
  Procedures for the company's sale were approved Tuesday by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, which is liquidating Archway's assets.
  The court's approval of bidding procedures follows an asset purchase agreement filed Friday that identified North Carolina-based Lance Inc. as the stalking-horse bidder in the bankruptcy auction of Archway's assets. Mayor Glen Stewart confirmed Lance as the bidder Monday.
  "We are pleased to have reached this agreement and believe that an asset sale is in the best interest of Archway and its stakeholders. We look forward to working with Lance, other potential bidders and all of our constituents throughout the process," company spokesperson Meaghan Repko said Tuesday on behalf of Archway.
  The deadline for bids is Nov. 25 and an auction will take place Dec. 1, if necessary. A sale approval hearing will be held Dec. 2, during which time the court will determine whether to approve the sale.
  The bidding procedures include information on assets, confidentiality, the stalking horse bidder, qualified bidders, the auction, sale approval hearing, closing conditions and deadlines.
  According to the Tuesday filing, Archer Acquisitions LLC and Madre Capital Inc. will collectively act as the stalking-horse bidder for Lance Inc. As the stalking horse bidder -- the baseline bidder -- Archer and Madre agree to purchase "substantially all assets" of Archway Cookies and Mother's Cake and Cookie Co., respectively. The two entities appear to be acting on behalf of Lance to enable the split of Archway and Mother's assets.
  Archway suddenly closed the bakery and its corporate headquarters in Battle Creek, Mich., on Oct. 3, putting 278 local permanent employees immediately out of work. The company filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy Oct. 6.
  n Ginger Christ can be reached at 419-281-0581 ext. 239 or at email@example.com.