Italian retail group Bennet has acquired seven former Auchan hypermarkets from Margherita Distribuzione.
Two stores are in the province of Milan (Cesano Boscone and Nerviano), two are located in Brescia (Concesio and Mazzano), one in Lodi (Codogno), one in Bergamo (Antegnate), and one in the city of Milan (Viale Monza).
All seven hypermarkets are to be completely redesigned according to Bennet’s business model, the retailer said.
Pricing will also be aligned with Bennet’s policy, which gives priority to a quality/price ratio based on convenience, alongside attractive promotions that have always been the banner’s distinctive element.
Each hypermarket will also be progressively structured to offer e-commerce services, based on Bennet’s strategy for digital and multi-channel integration.
Conversion Process
The rebranding schedule foresees the conversion of the seven stores with Bennet’s network by the end of 2020. Work will include the replacement of store banners, the addition of all private label product lines and the integration of stores to the retailer’s customer loyalty program (Bennet Club).
According to CEO Adriano De Zordi, the acquisition of the stores should enable Bennet to achieve a turnover target of €2 billion this year.
With this acquisition, Bennet now has 71 hypermarkets and superstores and 39 active BennetDrive collection points, with a total sales area of over 350,000 square metres. In addition, the company owns 50 shopping malls with over 1,250 stores.
Bennet recently activated the BennetHome shopping service for Bennet Club cardholders. As part of this service, shoppers can choose from over 10,000 products and receive them directly at home from the next day. The service is active in the city and province of Pavia, Monday to Sunday, with two-hour delivery periods.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
