Billa Bulgaria is building a new warehouse near Stara Zagora, which will cost about BGN 50 million (€25.5 million).
Located on a 55-hectare plot and with a storage area of 16,500 square metres, the warehouse will cater to Billa stores in the central and southern regions of Bulgaria, the company noted.
The retailer hopes to complete the construction of the new warehouse in the first half of 2025. It will create more than 200 new jobs and help the company improve its logistics operations and serve customers more efficiently.
Walter Wolf, operations director of Billa Bulgaria, added, “The construction of our second warehouse base is a natural continuation of our long-term efforts to develop the company and our aspiration to implement innovations in the retail sector.
“Our main goal is to achieve greater flexibility and efficiency by shortening the response time and delivery path to our over 150 stores in the country.”
Sustainable Property
The property will acquire BREEAM certification, which means that it will be designed and operated in a sustainable way.
The warehouse will be equipped with a number of eco-friendly features, as Billa seeks to reduce its environmental impact and become carbon neutral by 2040.
It will have a photovoltaic system, which will generate 90% of its electricity, and state-of-the-art refrigeration technology, which will use heat from the refrigeration units to heat the building in the winter.
Store Launch, Renovations
Billa, a subsidiary of Germany’s REWE Group, recently opened its 150th store in Bulgaria, in the town of Chirpan, in which it invested over BGN 2 million (€1 million).
With the latest opening, the retail chain consolidated its leadership position, with stores in 47 cities across Bulgaria.
It is also upgrading its older stores in the country, to match new European retail trends.
One of Billa’s first sites in Bulgaria – its store in the Hippodrome district, in Sofia – opened its doors after a reconstruction project worth BGN 5 million (€2.5 million).
With the sales area exceeding 2,000 square metres, the store features a modern interior with increased amenities for customers.
The store is also equipped with technology that uses the residual temperature from the refrigerating units for heating during the winter months.
