Spanish co-operative retailer Covirán opened 92 shops in Spain and Portugal last year, creating more than 300 new jobs.
Covirán also claims to have consolidated its position as one of the leading local chains in the food sector during this period.
The retailer opened 86 outlets in Spain in 13 autonomous communities, creating 283 jobs.
In Portugal, it opened six supermarkets last year in five districts, creating 30 jobs.
The store expansion process coincides with the inauguration of Covirán's new store model towards the end of last year, the retailer noted.
'Good Reputation'
The president of Covirán, José Antonio Benito, expressed "great satisfaction" with the gradual expansion process due to "the trust placed in it by small independent retailers and the good reputation of a business model that preserves the local productive fabric and plays a key role in the fight against depopulation".
"Covirán's dominance is based on a supermarket model that favours entrepreneurship and the local economy, an option that is attractive to small retailers as has been demonstrated in recent years, even in times of uncertainty experienced with the pandemic and the subsequent energy crisis", he added.
Store Network Expansion
The opening of 92 new shops in 2023 added almost 15,000 square metres of sales area to Covirán's existing store estate.
In Spain, stores opened in Andalusia (32), Catalonia (25), the Basque Country (6) and Extremadura (5).
In Catalonia, Covirán has strengthened its position with the incorporation of new partners and opening of a new logistics platform in Barberá del Vallés (Barcelona), which it says will improve the efficiency of goods preparation and delivery.
Elsewhere, in Portugal, new stores opened in Oporto (2), Bragança (1), Viseu (1), Évora (1) and Faro (1).
The store in Viseu features the Covirán Plus format – a sustainable proximity shop model focusing on energy efficiency and eco-friendly features.
