Cora looks to strengthen operations in France | Progresiv
In an interview in trade publication LSA, Cora France’s managing director, Ludovic Chatelais, has discussed how the retailer is looking to help its hypermarket employees become more versatile so they can work across departments. 
Chatelais explained the retailer’s new strategy for its hypermarkets, which had been rolled out to eight stores, had led to more space being dedicated to food-for-now and food-to-go options and placed a strong emphasis on on-site preparation. This has increased the presence for local suppliers across its fresh departments, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish.
He went on to say that Cora had reviewed the way shoppers move around its hypermarkets. This led to it grouping support staff for its non-food ranges in one area. The size of the offer would be dictated by the size of the store and the amount of selling space that could be dedicated to the range.
Without providing figures Chatelais said the renovated stores had enjoyed ‘an improvement in turnover and profitability’. To drive improvements across the estate he said Cora would continue to update four hypermarkets annually. Despite no new stores being planned, investment in the store estate would increase, as stores’ roles change and improvements require money to be spent on them. (retailanalysis.igd.com)
