ROMANIA: Kaufland, at its slowest expansion pace since its market entry | Progresiv

Kaufland Romania will open three more hypermarkets by the end of the year, leading the number of stores opened in 2015 to five units, the weakest pace of expansion of the German retailer from entering the Romanian market in 2005 when it opened three stores.

With the three hypermarkets opened by the end of the year, Kaufland chain will reach 107 stores in Romania.

At the beginning of the year, the expansion plan announced by the retailer for this year mentioned nine openings, but so far only two Kaufland hypermarkets were opened, in Constanta (March) and Sibiu (October).

The store located on the former Grivita brewery, whose opening was scheduled for this year will most likely be opened in the first half of next year, the construction works being in an advanced stage.

With 102 operational hypermarkets, Kaufland Romania reported last year a turnover of nearly 8 billion lei, up by 10% compared to the previous year. Last year, the company opened 13 hypermarkets.

Kaufland, part of German group Schwarz, is among the largest retail companies in Europe with over 1,200 stores in seven countries (Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania). The retailer announced that it will enter Moldova through its Romanian branch.