Portuguese grocery retail franchise Aqui é Fresco has announced plans to open around 10 to 20 new stores in 2019.
The Aqui é Fresco network comprises a group of 806 independent outlets, supermarkets, and mini-markets, spread across Portugal.
It is one of the largest independent retail network in Portugal, supported by Unimark, an association of wholesalers of FMCG products.
'Year Of Consolidation'
Speaking to the news agency, Lusa, the director general of services at Unimark, João Vieira Lopes, said that 2019 is a year of consolidation for the brand.
Its main goal will be to increase the number of stores operating under the Aqui é Fresco banner.
Presently, there are 155 Aqui é Fresco stores in Portugal, twice as many as in 2018.
The retail network intends to maintain this pace of growth, and take this number to 250 by 2020.
The Aqui é Fresco banner is present in central and northern Portugal as well as Greater Lisbon.
Expansion Plans
It aims to expand its presence in other parts of the country, particularly in the south.
It is scheduled to open its first store in the Algarve later this year and convert around 50 to 100 stores in its network to the Aqui é Fresco banner.
For fiscal year 2018, turnover at Aqui é Fresco amounted to €380 million, up 5% compared with 2017.
Outlook
Aqui é Fresco's priority projects for 2019 include upgrading its IT system and launching a customer loyalty card scheme.
In addition, the retailer is also considering the introduction of a home delivery service.
© 2019 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.
