Italian supermarket chain Famila, which opened 63 new stores in January 2020, plans to open seven more outlets by the end of 2021.
The new openings will take the total number of stores under the Famila banner to 274.
The retailer, a part of Gruppo Selex, attributed the rapid growth to the rollout of the new Famila Market store format, spread across an area of up to 400 square metres.
The company also highlighted its return to Sicily and the opening of shops in new areas of Italy as factors contributing to its growth.
The Famila Network
Present in 12 Italian regions through four declinations, the banner arrived in Sicily at the beginning of this year, with the Famila and Famila Market formats.
Initial feedback has been positive, with customers appreciating the brand's distinctiveness, which combines quality at attractive prices.
At the end of May 2021, the Famila network comprised 140 Famila, 44 Famila Market, 73 Famila Superstore, and 10 Iper Famila stores, with a total retail area of 452,797 square metres.
In addition to the physical channel, Famila is also a key player on the group's e-commerce platform CosiComodo.it.
Famila is owned by Italy's second-largest retail distribution group Selex Gruppo Commerciale, comprising 18 associated companies, out of which five operate under the Famila banner.
Annual Performance
The brand reported a turnover of €2.3 billion in its full financial year 2020, up 12.8% year-on-year, which is also its best performance in ten years.
The positive trend continued in the first four months of 2021, with a 4.5% increase in turnover on a like-for-like basis.
Maniele Tasca, general manager of Selex Gruppo Commerciale, said, "Famila's results are among the best at national level and in the group. Decisive factors were the people who worked in the shops and the investments made in the network by our entrepreneurs over the last few years."
"For the near future, the priority is to maintain and improve the distinctiveness of the brand and to invest in competitiveness, taking into account the difficult economic phase that many of our citizens are experiencing."
© 2021 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
