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Retail

Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Bulgaria

By Steve Wynne-Jones
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Top 10 Supermarket Retail Chains In Bulgaria

In November 2023, annual inflation in Bulgaria dropped to a two-year low of 5.4%, marking the 11th month in a row that inflation had declined, and providing some respite for hard-pressed shoppers.

Food prices were 0.1 percentage points higher than the previous month, the National Statistical Institute's data showed, or 6% higher compared to November 2022, while non-food prices were flat month-on-month, and 3.3% up on the same month the previous year.

According to Ipsos, the year 2023 was marked by Bulgarian consumers making more 'rational' choices – opting for alternatives to mainstream brands or products on promotion – as well as switching to more at-home dining.

"In this markedly competitive and price-conscious environment, brands would be well-advised to stay agile and alert, to keep abreast of shifting consumer attitudes and behaviour, so that they may excel by staying relevant to consumer needs," Iva Dimova, country manager, Ipsos in Bulgaria, commented.

Bulgaria's government recently unveiled a new initiative to enable shoppers to avail of lower prices on a variety of goods at major food chains, as part of the campaign 'Affordable for You' ('Достъпно за вас').

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Here's an overview of the top ten supermarket retail chains in Bulgaria, according to their most recently-available full-year turnover. All data is supplied by Retail-Index.

***EXCLUSIVE OFFER*** Gain access to Retail-Index.com with a limited discount of 10% – use the code ESM10 in the remarks section on the Price & Order form.

1. Kaufland & Lidl
Turnover: €1.77 billion (2021)

Kaufland & Lidl are the leading supermarket retail chains in Bulgaria, with a combined turnover of €1.77 billion (as of 2021). Kaufland currently has 63 stores in the country, while Lidl has 115, giving the combined entity a total of 178. Both are operated by Germany's Schwarz Group.

Read More: Kaufland Introduces K-Scan System In Bulgaria

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2. Metro C&C
Turnover: €435 million (2021)

Wholesaler Metro C&C operates ten outlets in Bulgaria, as well as a franchise store network. In 2021, the cash-and-carry firm's turnover stood at €435 million.

Read More: Metro Bulgaria Relaunches Franchise Store Network

3. BILLA
Turnover: €429 million (2021)

BILLA is another popular supermarket retail chain in Bulgaria, with a turnover of €429 million as of 2021. The company operates under two banners: BILLA and Penny, with a current total of 141 stores in the country. BILLA is a subsidiary of Germany's REWE Group.

Read More: Billa, Kaufland, Lidl Focus On Sustainability In Bulgaria

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4. T Market
Turnover: €198 million (2021)

T Market has had a presence in the Bulgarian market since 1995. In 2021, the company reported a turnover of €198 million. It currently has 116 stores across the country. It is a subsidiary of Maxima Grupé UAB, based in Lithuania.

5. Fantastico
Turnover: €128 million (2021)

Fantastico, which recently marked its 30th anniversary, operates 45 stores in Bulgaria. It reported a turnover of €128 million in 2021. The group is led by executive director Svetoslav Gavrilov.

Read More: Bulgaria's Fantastico Group Announces Series Of New Investments

6. Hit
Turnover: €20 million (2021)

Hit is a Bulgarian hypermarket chain that reported a turnover of €20 million in 2021. The group operates two stores in Bulgaria, in Mladost and Lyulin, both districts of Sofia.

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7. Dar
Turnover: €20 million (2021)

Dar operates ten stores across Bulgaria, and reported a turnover of €20 million in its most recent financial year (2021).

8. 345
Turnover: €14 million (2021)

With a turnover of €14 million (as of 2021) and 16 stores, 345 is the eighth biggest player in the Bulgarian supermarket retail industry. The business is led by CEO Georgi Stefanov Trendafilov.

9. Kam Market
Turnover: €13 million (2021)

Kam Market is another relatively small supermarket chain in Bulgaria, with 24 outlets and a turnover of €13 million as of 2021. Tanya Kamcheva is the chief executive of the firm, which was founded in 2017.

10. Leksi
Turnover: €8 million (2021)

Leksi is a small chain of just four stores, located in the city of Plovdiv and the surrounding region. It boasted a turnover of €8 million in 2021.

Other notable retailers in Bulgaria include CBA, which boasts 127 stores, according to the data, and Balev Biomarkt, which boasts five stores. In addition, the country has a number of pure-play internet retailers that also sell food, including Ebag.bg, BGM.bg, Pingo.bg, Supermag.bg, Randi.bg and Superbagplovdiv.bg.

About Retail-Index

Retail-Index is a specialist supplier of management information on consumer retail markets, provided by Veraart Research Group in the Netherlands. Its mission is to supply managers with up-to-date key information on retail markets in Europe and support them in their international expansion.

The company dates back to 1964, when it started as a market research and marketing consulting company for consumer products and services. In 1989, it started publishing written reports on various retail sectors in Europe. As of 2005, it publishes its information on retailers through the online database and curated datasheet exports available on www.retail-index.com. A team of researchers manages the data to reflect upon current developments in the markets, collected from an extensive number of sources.

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© 2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.

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