“We’ve reached 200 stores in Romania and are now headed towards the 300-store target,” said Frank Wagner (43).
“There is room for development, and we want to keep the expansion pace at 10 to 15 stores a year, and even speed up if possible. That depends on permits and the supply of suitable space on the market,” the executive added.
Lidl officially arrived in Romania in 2011 when it bought discount store chain Plus, which had 107 stores and about EUR380 million revenue. It then expanded to 200 stores and EUR1.1 billion revenue a year, becoming the third leading retailer in Romania after Kaufland and Carrefour by revenue.
Lidl’s target is to have 300 stores and the EUR2 billion revenue mark to go with it and the retailer relies on its customers to get it there, Frank Wagner said. Only one retailer in the country has so far overshot the mark and that is Kaufland. Kaufland is the sister network of Lidl, as they are both part of the Schwarz group.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)