“Bomax Group bought in a transaction whose price is confidential the Interex supermarket chain, held by the second-largest retailer in France, with a turnover of EUR40 billion. The intention is to rent [the supermarkets] or sell them to another food or DIY retailer,” says Laura Hantari, representative of the Bomax Group.
French-held supermarket chain Interex, one of the most discreet retailers on the Romanian market, with sales of just less than EUR40 million in 2011, exited the Romanian market at the end of last year after closing down all ten stores it had left.
The financial crisis affected Interex’s turnover, which fell to less than half from 2008 to 2011, while losses went up four times.
In the past few years the French company sought to sell its Romanian operations on several occasion, but talks failed.
But entrepreneur Sorin Bonciu, 45, ultimately bought the ten stores. In the case of eight of them he also bought the land on which the supermarket was built, while for two of them he already owned the land.
According to the websites of Bomax Group and Electricm Solar, the two companies operate in real estate – development of commercial spaces, offices, storage facilities and production facilities and in energy – production of electricity. Bomax Invest ended 2011, the last year for which financial data is available, with zero turnover and losses of RON1,070, while for Electricom Solar there is no financial data on the website of the Finance Ministry.
According to the Competition Council website, the businessman also owns other companies.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)