Kaufland becomes leader of the Romanian retail market

Kaufland has managed to increase its local sales by about 21 percent last year, to EUR 1.32 billion, according to data from the Ministry of Finance. The retailer thus becomes the leader of the local FMCG retail market by dethroning Metro Cash&Carry who has held this position since entering the market in 1996.

The top is followed by Carrefour with EUR 1.19 billion worth of sales last year and Metro Cash&Carry which reported a turnover of EUR 1.06 billion.

The German discount hypermarket chain came to Romania seven years ago and has since opened 75 stores with an average sales area of between 3,000 and 5,000 sqm. The player now operates the largest hypermarket chain in Romania and on this segment, it competes against Carrefour, Real, Auchan and Cora but unlike them it has a discount policy. Also unlike most of these players, Kaufland has managed to invest in maintaining a steady expansion pace over the last three years, opening 13 stores each in 2010 and 2011. So far in 2012 it has expanded its network by 6 new outlets. At least another 5 stores could be added by the end of the year.

Kaufland is part of Schwartz Group who is also present in Romania with Lidl – another discount retail brand.

Read more in next week’s print edition.

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Simona Bazavan