The Polish arm of Les Mousquetaires, Grupa Muszkieterów, is planning to open some 20 new Intermarché and Bricomarché stores this year, as well as installing a number of filling stations at Intermarché outlets.
The group made the announcement as it announced sales of PLN 7.1 billion last year (€1.69 billion), an increase of more than 8.5% year-on-year.
The year 2017 marked Grupa Muszkieterów's 20th year of trading in Poland, via both its Intermarché food retail and Bricomarché DIY store banners.
It marked the occasion by investing around PLN 60 million in its Polish operations, and the group said that it plans to increase that investment to PLN 100 million this year.
In terms of Intermarché specifically, Grupa Muszkieterów said that turnover was up 6.4% last year, to PLN 5 billion.
It noted that the group is exploring developing the Intermarché brand across a number of formats and channels, including the forecourt sector.
'Significant Progress'
"Given the demanding food market and growing competition, including price competition, Intermarché made significant progress in terms of sales," commented Marc Dherment, the head of Grupa Muszkieterów in Poland.
"We are fully aware of both the challenges posed by the Polish market and the opportunities it offers. That is why we are intensively working on improvements in many areas of our organisation. I am convinced that their effects will help us to realise our growth potential and strengthen our position in the Polish supermarket sector."
Its Bricomarché brand, meanwhile, has been posting double-digit increases for several years now, and in 2017, the banner posted a 14.2% increase in turnover, to exceed PLN 2 billion for the first time.
Bricomarché opened 14 new outlets last year, bringing its store count to 148.
Store Portfolio
The Poznan-based group boasts a store count of 374 outlets across Poland, with some 298 of these managed by independent Polish entrepreneurs.
As well as Poland, Les Mousquetaires is present in Belgium, Portugal and its native France.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
