Polish retailer Biedronka has announced the locations of its first five stores in Slovakia, with the Jerónimo Martins-owned grocer set to open its first outlets in the country by the end of this year.
The group will open stores in Levice, Nové Zámky, Považská Bystrica, Senica and Zvolen as part of its initial opening drive, Zuzana Baloghova, chief people officer for Slovakia at Jerónimo Martins announced in a post on LinkedIn.
Jerónimo Martins Slovensko
The announcement coincided with the one year anniversary of the opening of Jerónimo Martins Slovensko, based in Bratislava, which will manage the group's business in Slovakia.
Elsewhere, Jerónimo Martins has also opened a new career site for would-be employees looking to take up a role with the retailer in Slovakia.
In a note on that website, the retailer said that it has 'big plans' for the Slovakian market, one of six countries in which the business will now have a presence (as well as Portugal, Poland, Colombia, Morocco and Czechia).
Second-Quarter Performance
In its second-quarter results announced in July, Jerónimo Martins reported an increase in group sales, reaching approximately €8.2 billion. This growth was largely driven by a rise in sales at Biedronka, where sales totalled around €5.8 billion.
Despite this, Biedronka's like-for-like sales in Polish zlotys saw a 4.6% decline during the quarter, a reversal from the 4.6% growth recorded in the first quarter of the year.
Biedronka remains the market leader in Poland, but the company acknowledged that Polish consumers are becoming more cautious with their spending due to an uncertain economic environment.
'In the face of a muted food retail market and intense competition, Biedronka leveraged its commercial dynamic and increased its price investment,' the retailer said. 'The team's capabilities and remarkable work allowed the banner to strengthen its customer base, grow volumes throughout the period, and further increase market share in this first half year.'
