ROMANIA: A year after the first rumors, Carrefour takes over Billa | Progresiv
French retailer Carrefour announced the signing of a purchase agreement of Billa supermarket chain in Romania. The transaction is valued at 96-97 million euros, according to the website specialized in transactions mirsanu.ro, and the takeover is subject to approval from the Competition Council. 
Cumulative sales of Carrefour and Billa supermarket chains were of 518 million euros (2300.5 million lei) in 2014, according to financial reports of the two companies.
Billa operates 86 supermarkets nationwide, which have a total selling area of 83,000 square meters and is owned by the German group Rewe. France's Carrefour has 106 supermarkets locally and if the transaction is approved, the retailer will strengthen its position in the supermarket segment, reaching to a nationwide chain of 192 business units.
The first information regarding the sale of Billa appeared on the market last year after the German group Rewe, who owns the supermarket chain, gave up its operations in Italy, all the shops being taken over by Carrefour. Company officials said then that the German company will focus its attention on the markets where they have top positions. In Romania, Billa is the second smallest player in the market after Real, who owns only four stores.
Billa officially entered Romania in 1999, when it opened its first store in Bucharest neighborhood Titan. In the same year the retailer opened its first province store, in Constanta. In the last two years, Billa had a much lower rate of expansion, this year being inaugurated one business unit in the North Station. In financial year 2014, Billa reported a turnover of 1.41 billion lei and a net profit of 2.34 million lei.
Carrefour operates over 10,100 stores in 34 countries worldwide. In Romania, the Carrefour chain has 187 stores of which 29 Carrefour hypermarkets, 106 Market supermarkets, 43 Express convenience stores, 10 Contact convenience stores and an online commerce website.
