Spar Austria has taken over 62 Billa stores in Croatia together with the logistics centre in Sveta Helena.
In a statement, Spar Hrvatska said that the acquisition was completed on 15 December and will be conducted via a share deal.
The takeover will be formalised after the approval of the Agency for the Protection of Market Competition.
The purchase price was not revealed.
The Billa stores, with a sales area between 500 metres-square and 1,500 metres-square, employ around 1,900 people.
For its part, Spar Hrvatska owns 19 hypermarkets and 38 supermarkets, with nearly 3,000 employees. As a result of this acquisition, Spar will now have over 100 stores in Croatia.
After the divestment of Billa stores, Rewe Group retains only the Bipa drugstore network with 90 stores in Croatia.
Spar Hrvatska is 100% owned by Spar Österreichische Warenhandels.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
