Billa doubles expansion with over 20 million euros in investments

Billa, the biggest supermarket chain on the Romanian market, with 46 operating stores, plans to make 20 inaugurations this year and does not rule out store acquisitions. Last year the retailer opened nine stores.
The company will invest over 20 million euros and create around 1,000 jobs in towns such as Carei and Resita through these projects, according to ZF estimates.
This is the biggest expansion budget for 2010 for the supermarket segment, put at several billion euros, which has been on a downward trend in the past year because of dwindling consumption, according to market data.
"Our target is to open at least 20 new Billa stores in 2010, with Bucharest being a major target of interest for us and we are in talks for potential locations at present," said members of the company. Billa's biggest rivals are Mega Image, Carrefour Express, and Interex.
The company recorded 324 million euros in sales in 2008, according to the latest reports, and is held by German group Rewe, the second-largest player in the trade sector, with around 1.5 billion euros in sales on the Romanian market. The group also includes Selgros and Penny Market.