ROMANIA: Kaufland exceeds the 10 billion lei threshold | Progresiv
German retailer Kaufland ended last year with a turnover of 10.09 billion lei, slightly higher than in 2016 (9.69 billion lei), thus maintaining its leading position on the Romanian retail market. 
In the past year, Kaufland Romania has invested over 700 million lei in modernizing and expanding its chain of stores. At the end of 2017, the retailer had 117 stores locally. Kaufland currently has 119 hypermarkets.
"We want to offer a place to feel good about spending time and we think we have become more than a store - a true partner of the community. Today, customers can find at Kaufland either communal urban gardens or a place where they can freely charge their electric cars or they can find packaging recycling containers", said Marco Hößl, General Manager of Kaufland Romania.
Last year, the company launched the first urban community gardens, located on the roofs or outside its shops and in schools (Gradinescu). Kaufland also inaugurated the Romanian Shelf, the first national program to support Romanian pork producers. Also in 2017, the company has reinvented its visual identity and introduced new concepts of commercial galleries, such as the Open Mall, Food Court, and glass wall stores.
More than 15,000 Romanians were working at Kaufland on average over the past year (+ 7% versus 2016), the company being the largest private employer in the country. Kaufland Romania announced in 2017 the increase in the minimum wage of commercial workers to the amount of 2,800 lei gross with meal tickets - which represents more than 60% more than the minimum wage in Romania - granting benefits such as health insurance and additional holiday leave.
For 2018 the retailer doubled its expansion and modernization budget to more than 200 million euros and is preparing to open 10 new stores, including in small towns. The company will continue to support the community and grow partnerships with local producers. At present, over 70% of Kaufland Romania suppliers are Romanian.
Kaufland is among the largest retail companies in Europe, with more than 1,300 stores in 7 countries.
