Discount Retail Chain Biedronka's (owned by Jeronimo Martins) transport fleet, which is one of the largest in Poland, will play an additional role in addition to the logistics function, it will be the largest marketing platform with over 1,600 vehicles with a flexible advertising media system. Biedronka is the first retail store chain in the country to use this system so widely. Truck bodies are huge spaces that are perfect for creative development. Such advertising reaches target groups even in the middle of the road, on the highway, in city centers, in housing estates and everywhere where traditional media cannot appear. Currently, on the streets of the largest Polish cities (Warsaw, Gdańsk, Kraków, Poznań, Wrocław) you can already meet about 900 vehicles and delivery trailers of the Biedronka chain equipped with a modern system of displaying marketing materials, This is another modern channel of direct communication with the client. The combination of several media makes it possible not only to increase publicity, but also to reach a wider audience. The frame and graphics are resistant to weather conditions and scratches. In transit advertising, the costs associated with the rental of the advertising medium are zero, because it is your own truck tractor trailer. The introduction of such a market tool will not only promote your own marketing campaigns, but will also provide the opportunity to provide space for other contractors or entities. The first campaign to appear on mobile media was the "Ale Tydzień!" Currently, the fleet is equipped with two image campaigns: Marletto ice cream and Czas na Grill. The carriers can be changed quickly and flexibly, if necessary, e.g. in connection with specific holidays or a special offer or a given advertising campaign. Such a comprehensive change of the promoted campaign takes place in less than 2 weeks. 'As the largest retail chain in Poland, Biedronka introduces flexible advertising media systems to its fleet. At the same time, it will be the most extensive platform of this type in Poland, allowing us to optimize the use of stationary advertising media and reach a wider audience who will not be reached by traditional stationary advertising', says Michał Suchecki, operational marketing manager at the Biedronka network. See here for more: Biedronka udostępni powierzchnie na swoich ciężarówkach na reklamy - Detal (dlahandlu.pl)

Discount Retail Chain Save A Lot (owned by Onex Corporation) is accelerating investments to modernize one-third of its store fleet this year and the full 1,000 locations by 2024. The discounter, which operates in 32 states, is working with its independent license owners to upgrade stores with a more contemporary design said to derive from customer and associate feedback. The new discount instore format can already be found in such cities as St. Louis, Denver and Tampa, as well as stores in Ohio. New details will include brighter and easier-to-shop footprints with new décor and an enhanced shopping environment. Each neighborhood store will also include an assortment of regional products, including localized and curated product brands. Kenneth McGrath, Save A Lot CEO, said the refresh supports its efforts to both gain and retain new shoppers, as well as increase its basket size. “As we continue to focus on becoming the brand of choice for our customers and a go-to source in our local communities, it was important that our logo, stores and marketing reflected and reinforced our mission of providing quality products at budget-friendly costs that consistently exceed the expectations of our customers,” McGath noted. See here for more: Save A Lot Accelerates Plans to Modernize Store Fleet | RIS News

Discount Retail Chain Lidl GB (owned by the German Schwarz Group) is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2022 in a string of new climate pledges that will see suppliers obliged to also set targets. Lidl has also pledged to cut emissions from its own operations globally by 80% by 2030, compared with a 2019 baseline. To cut so-called ‘scope 3’ emissions in its supply chain, representing over 98% of total emissions, Lidl will “oblige suppliers” to develop and work to their own targets, it said. The obligation will apply to suppliers responsible for 75% of Lidl’s “product-related scope 3 emissions”. The discounter said it would be achieved “through a comprehensive supplier engagement and learning programme across the group, including supporting farmers” to measure their carbon footprint and make reduction plans. The carbon goals for suppliers will be based on ‘Science Based Targets’, a standard adopted by businesses across the world and aligned with the Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Lidl suppliers will be expected to have committed to the standard by 2026. Lidl’s plans include producing carbon-neutral cheddar by the end of this year, which the business claims will be a UK first. It is also to ban sales of peat from 2022, two years ahead of a UK government deadline, to support peatland restoration. The long-term aim is to align its own operational carbon emissions with global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2030. Steps to reduce emissions from its stores and distribution centres are to include equipping all new branches with solar panels “where permissible” and continuing with investment in latest refrigeration and lighting Technology. Lidl GB has committed to operating 350 electric vehicle charging points at stores by 2022, having opened its 100th earlier this year. “With the UK hosting COP26 in November, this is a crucial year in the fight against climate change and we recognise our responsibility to reduce our emissions to help tackle this important issue,” said Lidl GB CEO Christian Härtnagel. “As part of the Schwarz Group, Lidl has a presence in 32 countries around the world and more than 310,000 employees globally. We’re therefore one of Europe’s largest retail businesses and through these ambitious targets we hope to make a significant contribution by not only rapidly decarbonising our own operations but also supporting our suppliers to do the same. “As a discounter, it is ingrained in us to be constantly looking to maximise efficiency and reduce waste. Whether it’s how we heat and light our stores, or how we transport food from our suppliers to our warehouses, we are continuing to find ways to cut emissions across our business.” Lidl is the latest in a string of supermarkets to recently announce carbon reduction targets. Tesco and M&S are aiming for net zero emissions by 2035, while others including Asda and Iceland are aiming for the same by 2040. In November last year, the BRC launched a sector-wide commitment to achieving net zero by 2040, ahead a government target for the UK of 2050. Aldi UK & Ireland has claimed to be carbon neutral since 2019, with the help of a series of offsetting projects across the world. See here for more: Lidl sets 2022 carbon neutral target, including new climate expectations for suppliers | News | The Grocer

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Australia (German family owned) is ramping up efforts to take on rivals Coles and Woolies, telling staff it will build three new highly automated distribution centres and close six existing warehouses. The discounter's plans to accelerate the rollout of its new DCs with significant changes expected as early as 2025, will force a reckoning with one of Australia's largest landlords, Charter Hall, which last year scooped up ownership of Aldi's six existing warehouses in a hefty deal worth about AU$1 billion (US$0.75 billion). The grocery chain plans to accelerate the rollout of its new DCs. At the time the deal was struck, Charter Hall's purchase of Aldi's warehouses was the second largest industrial transaction on record and added six top-tier warehousing facilities to a AU$6 billion (US$ 4.5Bn) fund jointly owned by Charter Hall Prime Industrial Fund and several Allianz companies. Aldi offloaded all the warehouses in a sale and leaseback deal with seven-year leases in place, plus multiple seven-year options to extend its occupancy if required. A spokesperson for Aldi confirmed that, at the beginning of this month, it had: "let our employees know we are in the very early planning stages to build three new fit-for-purpose distribution centres to serve the growing demands of our east coast operations." "There will be no significant changes to business operations until at least 2025," they said. "Right now we are focused on informing and consulting with our people regarding our future plans." Those plans include scrapping its existing six purpose-built warehouses, two each in Victoria, NSW and Queensland and replacing them with three new highly automated distribution centres. Aldi would not be drawn on the location of the new centres, although staff were told there will be one in each of the three eastern states. It also refused to comment on whether it will commission, build and own the new facilities itself or structure a sale-and-leaseback deal with industrial landlords to house them on large-scale existing estates. Retaining Aldi's patronage among its extensive property holdings would be a coup for Charter Hall and would soften the blow of Aldi's decision not to take up the lease options on its existing facilities. The 2020 transaction's purchase yield of 4.75 per cent implies an expectation by Charter Hall that Aldi was likely to extend its leases. Unfortunately for the fund manager, Aldi is likely to have multiple other strong industrial landowners and developers pitching for its business. Aldi's existing facilities in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane were designed and built by the German giant to service its rapidly growing 500-strong chain of discount supermarkets. The company's move into the automated distribution centre space comes at a lag to its main competitors Coles and Woolworths, which have been trialling and building automated sites for the past three years. The strategy switch follows an unprecedented boom for the grocery sector during the pandemic which has required supermarkets to rethink how they manage their supply chains to keep up with customer demand. It could also signify a possible shift into online grocery delivery for Aldi, a space the supermarket has historically stayed out of focusing instead on its no-nonsense store formats and its range of highly popular 'special buys'. Industrial and logistics warehousing is proving to the best property class in the face of the pandemic and online shopping onslaught, hence the desire of large ASX-listed players like Charter Hall to own sheds like Aldi's. Agency Colliers says the sector was the most resilient asset class in 2020, providing a total return of 13.9 per cent: almost three times the rate recorded for office (4.7 per cent) and significantly above the negative 10.1 per cent recorded for retail. Online retail sales require three times the amount of warehouse space compared to traditional brick-and-mortar transactions, a fact that is likely to buoy demand levels as retailers like Aldi upgrade online store platforms. Warehouses will remain front and centre. Despite its rapid growth in Australia, e-commerce still represents only a fraction of total retail spending at about 10 per cent and has a long way to go to catch up with Britain's 26 per cent and America's 19 per cent, Colliers said. See here for more: https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/aldi-scraps-big-sheds-opens-high-tech-distribution-hubs-20210709-p588bx.html

Discount Retail Chain Netto-Markendiscount (owned by German market leader EDEKA) has almost 5,000 stores in Germany. The discounter took over a large part of these stores from Plus (Tengelmann) in 2007. Other discount stores from various Edeka regional companies, such as Treff 3000, could also be integrated into the new Netto brand discounter concept. The resulting problem is that the entire stores from the most diverse origins / previous owners and the most diverse opening years form an extremely heterogeneous store network form. In addition, the makers at Netto have also significantly further developed the current trading concept. The markets should be bigger, fresher, brighter, more beautiful, clearer, cleaner and better. The company definitely still has plenty of potential in the benchmark with Aldi and Lidl, especially when it comes to space productivity. However, the large number of stores and the structure of the many old markets are a major challenge. But Netto is tackling it! Yesterday it was still old - today it was fine again As part of one of our store check trips, we were in the province of Bad Rappenau a few days ago. There we noticed the many discounters Aldi, Lidl and Netto, which are very close to each other. The three stores all had the latest concept and were therefore only recently rebuilt. The Netto reopened in the week we were visiting and can now keep up with the two competitors again. Of course, we took a look at it for you and wanted to know what the Netto team had done for the customers. Close your eyes and come in ... With just a few days of closure, the Netto team was able to modernize the entire store. Furthermore, most of the interior furnishings were replaced. The entire cooling system has also been adapted to the new cooling volume structure. The fruit and vegetable department has been given a completely new equipment and now looks like a full-range supermarket. The bakery appears in a new shine! After the renovation, the large drinks department resembles an efficient, well-stocked drinks store. The entire market was mirrored and freshly stocked, so that almost the entire range was in stock when we visited. Fresh on the outside too! The exterior of the entire property was treated with new advertising logos and a completely new coat of paint. The finale of the renovation days was a complete thorough cleaning of the entire market area. After the brisk renovation period, the store went online again with its modern trading concept. Netto reopened the market with a high discount of 10% on the total basket, also for promotional product items. It is to be hoped that in the future many customers will find the market at such a good level of performance. See here for more: https://www.supermarkt-inside.de/etto-modernisiert-sich-zuegig-weiter/

Discount Retail Chain T MARKET (owned by the Lithuanian MAXIMA GRUPE) has been present on the Bulgarian market since 2005, and in 16 years has managed to become one of the leading food chains in Bulgaria. Every year the company's network of stores is growing rapidly, and with it the number of jobs created in the country. Currently, the company employs over 2,300 employees, making T MARKET one of the largest employers in Bulgaria. The discounter chain is part of the Lithuanian MAXIMA GRUPE, which is a leader in the trade of fast moving consumer goods in the Baltics. The newest store of T MARKET in Byala, Varna opened its doors. This is the 91st store of the company in the country and the 46th city in which it is located. It is located at 29 Bregova Street. For customers on the opening day, the company has provided various gifts and surprises, and special offers will continue throughout the summer season. Among them you will find everything you need for the beach, culinary temptations, bargain alcohol and non-alcoholic offers and a wide variety of seasonal assortment. "With each new facility, we reach even more people, enter their homes and facilitate their market. And here we do not betray our style, namely - we are the practical choice for everyone. We also contribute to the development of the city and the region. The newly appointed colleagues are 15 and they join a team of over 2,300 people. I believe that together we will turn this T MARKET into a favorite place for shopping!”, said Petar Pavlov, General Director of the T MARKET retail chain. The new supermarket offers its customers some of the lowest prices on the market and numerous promo offers in various categories, and the rich variety of brands and quality goods is guaranteed. And in this site you can try traditional Bulgarian dishes from the warm showcase of T MARKET, fresh salads and grilled products. They are prepared in the chain's own workshop, under the watchful eye and professionalism of master chefs. You will also find a confectionery stand, fresh chilled fish and seafood delicacies, an area for fruits and vegetables, a sector with non-food items and last but not least, fresh Bulgarian meat. The bread bar offers a wide range of pastries baked on site. Customers can choose from a wide range of Bulgarian and imported alcohol and soft drinks. And for lovers of healthy food there is a special stand, where you can also find diet foods, vegan products and gluten-free ones. T MARKET works hard to reduce its environmental footprint by pursuing sustainable development goals. Over the past few years, the company has taken significant steps to improve the environment in which it operates. All vows of the circuit are powered entirely by green energy. All sites of T MARKET on the Black Sea coast work every day, without interruption, from 08:00 to 23:00 for greater customer convenience. By the end of the summer, the company plans to open its doors in Sozopol and Kavarna. See here for more: https://tmarket.bg/article/t-market-se-razrastva-po-chernomorieto

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Nord (family owned) has created together with The agency Bemotion 360 a virtual store, which can be explored on the computer directly in the browser. The real Aldi store in Henstedt-Ulzburg (Germany) served as a template. From now on Aldi customers and especially those who could become one can take a virtual tour of an Aldi Nord store. The tour was developed by the Kiel agency Bemotion 360, which took a real branch from Henstedt-Ulzburg in Schleswig-Holstein as its model. The really exciting thing about the virtual store, which will be continuously updated and expanded in the future, are numerous clickable info points. Among other things, these provide infographics on sustainable reusable bread bags or lead to videos such as how to keep the meat products that can be bought at Aldi. From the workplace to the toilet In general, during the tour, special attention is paid to sustainable products from fair production, which can no longer only be found in organic markets. In addition, the virtual Aldi Nord provides information on jobs at Aldi, the egg shelf, the forms of lighting, the solar panels on the roof, the promotional goods, the payment options and even the customer toilet, which we at least have in the ones we know Aldi Süd stores have not yet seen. But they might still come. See here for more: https://tours.bemotion-360.de/de/tour/aldi-nord

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Süd (family owned) has announced that it plans to expand its operations in city centre areas and is looking for partners to collaborate on this project. The discounter has created a central contact point for simplifying acquisition and cooperation across its entire distribution area. The move will help forge new partnerships and maintain and support existing collaborations with drugstores, department stores, or other businesses, Aldi Süd said. Real Estate Market The move is in response to changing conditions in the real estate market. Cities and municipalities are focusing on using land in a resource-conserving way and creating new living space wherever possible. In addition, they also face the challenge of strengthening the city centres, which are under increased pressure from online retail and COVID-19 restrictions. Against this backdrop, food-anchored properties in integrated locations are becoming significantly more attractive, the retailer noted. "We believe in the city centre," says Jan Riemann, property director at Aldi Süd. "We want to revitalise and develop the city centre to be even closer to our customers. Short distances make shopping easy and reduce traffic congestion in cities." Last year, a group of German associations called for 'creative cooperation' between players in inner-city trade to counter the slump in business due to the coronavirus pandemic. Regional Commitment The discounter added that it is stepping up its regional commitment by opening project development offices for Cologne, Frankfurt am Main and Offenbach, as well as for Stuttgart and Munich. These 'local offices' will specialise in the development of mixed-use properties in the respective areas. Riemann explained, "Planning a location with gastronomy, retail and a daycare centre on the roof in the middle of the city is significantly more complex than building a stand-alone branch in the countryside. That's why we bundle our expertise." Riemann added that Aldi Süd would function as "advisors and idea developers" and stated, "Together with our partners, we want to develop properties that meet urban development requirements and create added value for all users. What counts for us is the long-term perspective, and for that, the focus is on flexible development with the right mix of users." Store Development Strategy The opening of these offices is part of a realignment of Aldi Süd's store development strategy. The discounter is also strengthening other functions such as marketing, management of large real estate projects, and support for supra-regional cooperations. "We are investing in cooperation with cities and municipalities, investors, project developers, asset managers, brokers and architects," Riemann added. "We want to be the first point of contact for them when it comes to realising food-anchored properties." See here for more: Aldi Süd Plans To Expand Business In City Centres | ESM Magazine

The SN Top 50 Retailers report is compiled in partnership between Supermarket News and IGD, a leading UK-based analysis and insight organization for the food and consumer goods industry. The overall Supermarket News Top 50 Retailers list includes all channels that sell food and grocery including mass, convenience, drug and dollar, as well as grocery wholesalers. By store count on the SN Top 50 list, discount variety retail chain Dollar General (17,266 stores) and Dollar Tree/Family Dollar (15,685 stores) upheld their commanding lead, despite a big gain by 7-Eleven, the new No. 3 in terms of locations. The convenience store giant’s acquisition of over 3,800 Speedway stores from Marathon Petroleum (now off the list) in May 2021 boosted its total U.S. and Canadian locations to 13,839. Dropping a notch with 7-Eleven’s hefty increase were c-store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard to No. 4 (9,978 stores), CVS to No. 5 (9,960 stores) and Walgreens to No. 6 (9,021 stores). Rounding out the top 10 by stores were Walmart/Sam’s Club at 5,342 (No. 7), Kroger at 2,742 (No. 8), Rite Aid at 2,510 (No. 9) and Loblaw Cos. at 2,439 (No. 10). The only other retailers with at least 2,000 locations were Albertsons Cos. (No. 11 at 2,277) and Aldi U.S. (No. 12 at 2,070), although Ahold Delhaize USA (No. 13 at 1,970), Sobeys (No. 14 at 1,933) and Target (No. 15 at 1,897) were close. See here for more: https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/top-50-retailers-store-count

After a year of temporary closures, rapid and extreme shifts in product demand, and tidal shifts to more digital and omnichannel shopping, retailers had to decide, learn and execute more quickly than ever before. All of that put stress on retailers' supply chains and the personnel making them function. The response to a fast-changing world and unpredictable future is captured in an all-encompassing byword: agility. It's a hard word to avoid when describing how retailers navigate and survive the unending torrent of challenges the past year and a half has brought. In many cases, those were challenges that already existed for operators but were exacerbated and accelerated by the pandemic. "Agility," along with other bywords like "resilience," is tough to define, partly because it's a catchall for a set of practices, and also because retailers find different ways of becoming agile. In many cases, it may simply mean pivoting as quickly as possible to respond to a sudden change in demand. But speed alone can't guarantee survival. Tony Zuazo, Discount Variety Retail Chain Dollar General's executive vice president of global supply chain, noted at the National Retail Federation's "Retail Converge" conference that a company can be fast in its supply chain but not necessarily successful. "We like to balance the speed with a cost lens and also a quality lens," Zuazo said at a panel on supply chain disruptions. To help the discounter keep product moving quickly, while minimizing costs, Dollar General has a single integrated distribution platform, according to Zuazo. That means a store can be moved from one distribution center to any other in the network and receive goods by the next day, which is key to minimizing disruptions and keeping up with Dollar General's monster footprint growth. Also on the panel was Colin Yankee, who heads up supply chain for Tractor Supply. Yankee defined agility as the ability to build options into the retailer's supply chain and use those to serve customers. That means, in turn, assessing product flow options in the sourcing base, lead times and the mix between exporting and domestic sourcing, capacity within vendor and logistics third-parties, and constraints within the entire supply chain. Surging demand, lagging supply With consumers returning to stores and spending at high rates, demand is up. The return to something like normalcy domestically presents its own set of challenges for supply chains, however. In some areas where goods are made, countries are struggling to secure vaccines and contain the COVID-19 pandemic within their borders, which could slow the production of goods. At the same time, shipping capacity has been limited relative to demand, raising freight prices astronomically in many cases. "There does seem to be some revenge shopping going on out there," Browne said. "For those of us that are looking to source products from the other side of the world, we all know the problems in transportation and logistics. Just getting containers in time is incredibly difficult. And so I think it's going to put some real pressure on supply chains to deliver against that. We're all trying to get ahead of it." Clarke's PVH Corp. is a fairly useful case study in how retailers and brands are handling the year. On the company's most recent earnings call, Chief Operating and Financial Officer Mike Shaffer said the company's estimates for fiscal 2021 don't include any assumptions about new COVID-19-related closures or lockdowns, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. At the same time, PVH is monitoring "industry-wide supply chain headwinds." The company is building in four- to six-week inventory delays, and additional air freight and other costs into its financial outlook for the year. Looking ahead, Clarke said at the panel, "I think we're still going to be living through higher prices and shifting consumer behavior and the change in agility is going to be the name of the game." See here for more: https://www.retaildive.com/news/real-pressure-on-supply-chains-how-major-players-are-balancing-costs-sp/602667/

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Germany (owner of Schwarz Group) has presented itself as a quick lunch retailer with unhealthy fast food and cheap salads. That should change now with a new own private label brand, under which higher quality meals are offered. The discounter even clears a corner in the refrigerated shelf for convenience for this purpose, following Aldi. The vast majority of people have now noticed that storming of outdoor restaurants after the relaxation of the Corona requirements is not a really sustainable solution for not constantly cooking at home. Because sitting around in front of restaurants for a full day, as nice as it may be, is in the long run hard on your wallet. And because we all recently had to learn to jump over our own shadows, even Lidl has joined this and now offers premium ready-made meals from the refrigerated shelf. The discounter, which has so far excelled in keeping its customers warm inside half a chicken in the bread roll jail, selling "street food" in plastic tubes and accepting ready-made food with additives and flavor enhancers, seems to be real food as a market niche to have discovered for himself. So now there is the "Premium Menu Pasta with Chicken and fruity Tomato Sauce", "Pizza Rettangolare Mozzarella e Pomodrorini", the "Premium Salad Chicken Bowl with Caesar Dressing" and "Chicken Skewers with Hoisin Sauce" on the refrigerated shelf. In some stores, these or similar dishes have been available for sale since last year, with the rather simple branding "Feine Kost". It seems to have worked so well that Lidl is now venturing into a more professional appearance and using its own convenience brand "Chef Select" for it. Over the past few weeks, “Feine Kost” has gradually become “Chef Select Feine Küche”, complete with its own private label logo in black and gold. In addition, the discounter is giving its brand expansion (currently) its own private booth in the refrigerated shelves in some stores, in modernized stores right at the front in the convenience counter and highlighted with black bezels that announce an offer that should be “simply delicious”. In fact, the fine-dining meals look relatively presentable by discounted standards. There is the “seafood menu spaghetti with prawns”, fresh salad bowls, hummus in different variations (with pesto or falafel), various dips (Mediterranean style, date & curry, guacamole), yellow curry with chicken, vegetables and coconut milk, gnocchi Blue cheese (“spicy with spinach”), poke bowls with mango and chilli dressing and most of it actually makes an edible impression. The matching wooden cutlery must be purchased for 10 cents (US$0.12). And that the antipasta salads, the pickled olives and the antipasti cream may come from the regular offer and may just have been nicely packaged. The prices for the dishes are higher than regular customers for discount conditions: the inside is otherwise used the pasta menus cost between 2.99 and 3.49 euros (US$ 3.40 - 4.20), the square pizza 3.99 euros (US$4.80), and salad bowls come for 2.99 euros (US$3.60) through the till. Compared to many other fresh lunch options, this is still rather cheap. No gap filling for the premium salad In the weekly brochure, Lidl is for the first time advertising its new convenience competence (“For the first time at Lidl”), but without saying whether it will be a cross-branch or permanent offer. In the weekly flyer, Lidl is for the first time advertising its new convenience competence (“For the first time at Lidl”), but without saying whether it will be a cross-store or permanent offer. The dishes on offer seem to change at least according to my previous observation. And what is bought away leaves very uncharacteristically large gaps in the refrigerated shelves, which do not seem to be filled up until the next week. Whether Lidl will enjoy it for a long time can certainly be doubted, especially if the space could alternatively also be used for the weekly, massively advertised promotional product. As an excursion into the world of quick lunches, which afterwards does not lie like a stone in the stomach, Chef Select Feine Küche has turned out quite well. See here for more: „Chef Select Feine Küche“: Lidl bringt Premium-Fertiggerichte ins Kühlregal - Supermarktblog

Discount Retail Chain ARA (owned by Jeronimo Martins) plans to exceed 790 stores with more than 100 openings to be held this year. Tiendas Ara, will open its doors to a new point in the city of Cartagena, Bolívar. With this opening, the company completes 700 stores throughout the country. "Thanks to the differential business model, with a policy of low prices, first-rate quality and an expansion strategy to new areas of the country, Tiendas ara has been able to reach more cities in Colombia to continue its commitment to being the store of choice for customers. Colombians, "the company reported. Likewise, he assured that he has the commitment to continue promoting commercial relationships with local suppliers, the generation of employment, the development of the regions and supporting the communities where we operate. “The great potential that we see in Colombia is our inspiration to continue growing and promoting our business in more regions of the country. Therefore, we are proud to inaugurate our 700 store in the department of Bolívar, reaffirming the commitment of Tiendas ara to bring low prices to all corners and continue the drive for the democratization of products of the best quality for all Colombians " said Pedro Leandro, General Director of Jerónimo Martins Colombia. Tiendas ara will continue its expansion and consolidation program in Colombia to continue bringing its value offer through the opening of new stores. After ending last year with a 24.4% growth in its sales, compared to 2019, for the first quarter of 2021, Ara managed to increase its revenues by 10.5% and reached $ 878,286 million (US$232 million). See here for more: https://amp-larepublica-co.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.larepublica.co/empresas/tiendas-ara-realiza-apertura-del-local-numero-700-como-parte-de-plan-de-expansion-3193384