BILLA Bulgaria shopping chain will open 12 new supermarkets in the country this year. The company, which is part of the German REWE Group, is to invest a total of more than BGN 80 million in its store network and the construction of a second warehouse this year.
BILLA to open stores for the first time in Troyan, Vidin, Chirpan, Silistra and Sozopol, SeeNews reports the executive director of BILLA Bulgaria Vigintas Shapokas. The investment in the new supermarkets will be nearly BGN 35 million and more than BGN 32 million will be invested in renovation of existing shops.
This year, the construction of the new BILLA Bulgaria warehouse will also start, which will be located near Stara Zagora. The facility will cost a total of BGN 49 million, BGN 13 million. of which intended for construction activities. The logistics facility is expected to go into operation in 2024.
Furthermore, in the first few months of the year, the chain of stores will launch online sales. At first they will be only in Sofia, and gradually they will start to be offered in other Bulgarian cities as well.
More and more green
The company will continue to invest in renewable energy after spending BGN 3.2 million in 2022 to install solar PV systems in 29 of its 148 stores and its central warehouse in Elin Pelin, near Sofia. BILLA Bulgaria continues with large-scale investment in green energy and new sites, e-commerce will be launched next year
“In 2023, we will invest another BGN 2.1 million in installing PV systems in 21 new stores and complete the process of equipping all our sites with LED lighting and electronic signage,” explained Shapokas.
BILLA Bulgaria’s goals are in line with those of its parent company REWE Group, which aims for a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 with a goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2040.
Successful year
The supply chain, which entered the Bulgarian market in 2000, already has over 4,700 employees in our country. BILLA Bulgaria had a turnover of BGN 877 million from January to September last year, an increase of 22% compared to the same period in 2021.
“Despite the many challenges facing the business, in 2022 our market share increased by 0.8% over the previous year,” Shapokas stressed.
Between October and December, BILLA opened new stores in Pernik, Sliven, Karlovo and Smolyan, as well as the 55th store in Sofia. BILLA Bulgaria already has 149 outlets in 46 cities of our country and continues to be the retail chain with the largest number of outlets in the country. BILLA Bulgaria opens almost 300 new jobs, plans investments in green energy
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