Net profit dropped to EUR2.11 million from EUR11.5 million in 2016. The number of employees was 11% higher, almost 3,200.
Arabesque has 38 stores in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine and Bulgaria. The team in Romania numbers more than 2,700 people, while the logistics force numbers over 1,000 specialized trucks. The company has stores in a number of cities in Romania among which Bucharest, Cluj, Brasov, Iasi, Craiova, Galati, Piatra-Neamt and Focsani, according to its corporate website.
Founded by businessman Cezar Rapotan in Galati in 1994, Arabesque has since expanded abroad. It entered the Republic of Moldova in 2005 when it opened a store in Chisinau and later to Ukraine under the Budmax brand. After that it expanded to Bulgaria and Serbia.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)