Spanish retailer Mercadona will operate outside of Spain for the first time, as the company announced it will open four stores in Portugal by 2019.
As reported on revistainforetail.com, the company's objective is to open its first four shops by 2019, calculating an initial investment of €25 million and foreseeing the creation of approximately 200 jobs during the first stage of the expansion.
Mercadona is currently gathering institutional contacts in the country and conducting field work to identify the best locations for its first four stores in Portugal.
"Portugal is a great opportunity to begin the company's international growth and a country in which we can learn from the consumers as well as from a highly competitive sector. The possibility of contributing to the socio-economic progress of the country and of promoting the agri-food industry is a challenge and an aspiration that all who form part of Proyecto Mercadona are committed to", said Juan Roig, president of Mercadona.
The retailer chose Portugal, as it is a close market with manageable logistics, that fits the organic growth of the company.
2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Gabriela Guédez. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
