Slovenian retailer Mercator, through its Montenegrin unit Mercator-CG, has submitted a request to the local regulator for the approval of its planned acquisition of Supermarketi Franca.
The request was announced by Montenegro’s Agency for the Protection of Competition (AZK), in an announcement published in the Official Gazette.
Negotiations Underway
Sources from both Mercator-CG and Supermarketi Franca confirmed to local daily Pobjeda that negotiations are underway for the takeover of all retail units of Supermarketi Franca.
News on the sale of Supermarketi Franca surfaced last year, but the company denied any deal had been done.
Supermarketi Franca Network
Supermarketi Franca operates 69 supermarkets in almost all municipalities of Montenegro.
Of the total, 13 are in the capital Podgorica, eight in Budva, and seven in Bijelo Polje.
Supermarketi Franca is part of local meat processing company Franca, which focuses on the production of domestic meat and meat products from its farms.
Mercator-CG operates 125 Idea supermarkets, boasting a presence in 19 municipalities of Montenegro, making it one of the leading grocery retailers in the country.
Since April 2021, Mercator-CG has been part of the retail network of the Fortenova Group, based in Croatia, which owns 88.1% of Mercator.
Read More: Auchan Eyeing Acquisition Of Slovenia’s Mercator, Report Suggests
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