One open for business, two under construction and another one in the planning stage - these are the hypermarkets in Bucharest. Carrefour, leader of European trade and the company behind the hypermarket concept, has selected the location for its third Bucharest-based store. Cora, which is now the only competition for Carrefour on the Romanian market, has a surprise in store, though.
"We have been authorised to build the third store, which will be located in the city's eastern area and will span on 9-10,000 square metres. We will invest the same amount of money we have spent for the hypermarket in the Orhideelor area," Francois Oliver, Carrefour Romania general manager told Ziarul Financiar.
According to real estate sources, the third Carrefour hypermarket will be built on the location of the former Mileniul 3 (Third Millennium) commercial complex, in the Colentina area. Oliver would not comment on the location or the date set for the beginning of construction works.
The third store should push Carrefour Romania in the black. When the third hypermarket opens, Carrefour enters the same area chosen by French group Cora for its first store, set to open this year in eastern Bucharest, the Granitul-Pantelimon area.
"Carrefour's move is normal, as the Romanain distribution market is growing. This proves we did not agree with Carrefour to split the city between us," said Frederic Boule, marketing manager with Cora Romania.
Both Carrefour and Cora officials have said they aim to open one hypermarket for each of the cardinal points in Bucharest.
"We may soon build a hypermarket in one of the areas where Carrefour is already present," the marketing manager of Cora Romania added.
One possible location for Cora could be the Miorita Milk Plant area, in Militari-Lujerului, according to realty sources.
"In case they do choose this location, the Cora store would be situated right between the two Carrefour units - the one in Militari and the hypermarket to be built in the Orhideelor area," said the general manager of Carrefour Romania. Cora Romania officials would not comment on this location.
The reticence displayed by the two companies can be easily explained: the location is the key to success in the case of hypermarkets. Therefore, no one talks about it until the very last minute, right before the official launch, for fear the competition should find out about it.
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