“It will be a year of challenges, with openings of new stores, amid a still difficult economic situation. However, Romania is in better shape than the European average,” says Andreea Mihai, marketing manager of Carrefour Romania. The French group is present on the Romanian market with three store formats – hypermarkets (24), supermarkets (66) and convenience stores (20 franchised stores).
The company plans the same expansion pace this year as last year, when it opened 21 supermarkets and 16 convenience stores.
Carrefour also opened a shopping center at the end of last year, built around Carrefour’s Ploiesti-based hypermarket.
Carrefour says it will open at least one hypermarket this year, with the previous such opening dating back to the end of 2011.
“Carrefour continues its expansion on all formats – hypermarkets, supermarkets and franchised convenience stores.”
Carrefour announced back in the autumn of last year it would open a new hypermarket in Bucharest this year, on the platform of the former Vulcan plant.
Among Carrefour’s priorities for this year is to develop its private label segment which accounts for 12% of sales, according to the latest data.
“We are also developing partnerships with local farmers from various areas of Romania for fruit, vegetables, meat, even if they cannot supply the necessary amounts for the entire network,” Andreea Mihai also says, adding that it has become important for consumers to use locally-sourced products.
In 2011, the latest year for which data are available, Carrefour recorded a turnover of EUR1.07 billion, ranking third among retailers, after Kaufland and Metro Cash & Carry.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)