Portuguese-owned supermarket chain Biedronka aims to open 300 new branches in Poland over the coming year.
CEO Tomasz Suchanski has confirmed that the company plans to invest 2.1 billion zloty this year (€500.7 million) as part of the expansion. The investment builds on last year's expansion, with some 280 new branches opened in 2013, bringing the company's network to 2393 outlets.
“We are well on the way to having 3000 shops by the close of 2015,” Suchanski said. Biedronka's sales reached 32 billion zloty in 2013 (€7.7 billion), marking a 15% rise on the previous year.
“We're positive about what will happen financially this and next year,” Suchanski said.
“We don't anticipate any decline,” he added. The company also plans to open three new distribution centres in 2014, building on two from last year.
Biedronka was launched by Polish entrepreneur Maruisz Switalski in 1995. Two years later it was purchased by Portuguese firm Jeronimo Martins, which has retained ownership since then.
© 2014 - European Supermarket Magazine by Enda Dowling
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