The youngest daughter of the founder of Italian supermarket chain Esselunga, Marina Sylvia Caprotti, has been appointed the company's vice-president. She had already been a member of the company's board of directors.
In addition, Caprotti's husband, Francesco Moncada of Paternò, joins the board of directors, while her mother, Giuliana Albera, becomes honorary president, reports daily Corriere della Sera.
Vincenzo Mariconda has been confirmed as Esselunga chairman, as has CEO Carlo Salza.
Nearly nine months after the passing of Bernardo Caprotti, Esselunga has also launched a new investment plan. An estimated €1.8 billion will be invested by 2020, compared to the €1.7 billion invested over the previous four years. New supermarkets are planned (2017 openings include Verona, Bergamo, Novara and Varese), as is a fourth distribution centre (in Brescia). Also, e-commerce is being viewed as a segment with significant growth potential.
The retailer also released the first figures for its first store in Rome, which opened two months ago. More than 100,000 customers have visited the supermarket, in which €11 million had been invested. The retailer estimates that, in one year, the Roman store could achieve a turnover of nearly €80 million, before stabilising at €90 million – figures comparable to its other supermarkets in northern Italy.
Esselunga currently operates 153 supermarkets, 93 of which are located in the northern region of Lombardy.
© 2017 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.
