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Carrefour to potentially re-enter Russia

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Carrefour CEO Lars Olofsson has said he would like to re-enter Russia, where half the market is already in the hands of international retailers, including domestic rival Auchan and Germany’s Metro. “If we go back into Russia, it will be through an acquisition. I pulled out last year because you can�t win with little guns when big cannons are against you.”

In October last year, Carrefour decided to sell its operations and withdraw from Russia; a market that it entered at the beginning of the year. Carrefour said in a statement that it has decided to sell its Russian business due to lack of prospects for organic growth and opportunities for acquisitions that do not allow the company to become a market leader in the short and medium term.

Praktiker to reduce supplier numbers by 25%

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Germany-based DIY group Praktiker is to reduce the numbers of its suppliers by 25% within the next three years. The retailer hopes to improve its margins and quality of both its private label and branded products. It plans to decrease the number of suppliers from the current 2,700 to 2,000 in a move that will place it in a better position for price negotiations.

The lower number of suppliers will help the retailer to control the quality of products and opens doors for further private label development. It plans to increase the share of private label products from 30% to 40%.

M.Video may acquire Ukrainian Comfy

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0400

M.Video is looking to acquire a share in Ukrainian household and electronics retailer Comfy, according to a report in Kommersant daily. Comfy operates a network of 72 stores and wants to expand its network to 111 outlets by 2012.

Under consideration is a 10% stake in Comfy with an option to buy another 20% later on, although the value of the potential transaction has not been disclosed. The owner of the �omfy network cited the year 2013 as the likely time for the deal to close.

There have also been reports that Comfy has garnered interest from international companies Best Buy, Media Markt and Dixons. Sources suggest M.Video is interested in acquiring Comfy because of its absence of debt leverage and relatively high average returns on its retail space. Returns are roughly USD300 per square metre, which is about 50% higher than for its rivals.

www.planetretail.net

Euroset enters agreement with Brightstar

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

�Russian mobile communication retailer Euroset has signed a multi-year agreement with Brightstar, a provider of services and solutions for the wireless industry, to assist Euroset on the sourcing of mobile devices, as well as its mobile device strategy and category management. As part of the agreement, Brightstar will also provide Euroset with various supply chain and retail operations services, while both companies will also identify and pursue joint market development opportunities. "With Brightstar's experience and expertise from working with the world's top device manufacturers, operators and retailers, we are expecting Euroset's profit margin to increase," said Alexander Malis, President of Euroset. Euroset claims to be selling more than nine million mobile handsets every year.

X5 acquisition of Kopeika delayed

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Russian anti-monopoly trust FAS has postponed consideration of the application from X5 Retail Group for the acquisition of Kopeika until 22 September. X5 hopes to acquire Kopeika’s whole business, including 99.9% of shares in the parent OJSC Kopeika Trading House, Kommersant has reported. X5 had filed the application to the FAS late July before the final completion of the negotiations.

Kopeika desperately seeking funds

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Moscow-based retailer Kopeika is pressing on with preparation for an IPO and at the same time is in talks over the sale of its business. Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Uralsib Capital were hired as IPO arrangers. The possible buyer could be X5 Retail Group - which is currently awaiting authorisation for the deal from the FAS - or Walmart, which has been actively looking for an acquisition target to enter Russia. If the decision to hold an IPO is adopted, Kopeika is to offer the open market up to 40% of its share capital.

Euroset enters agreement with Alfa Bank

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

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Euroset has entered a contract with the Russian Alfa Bank to allow the bank’s customers to manage their accounts via Euroset’s 3,730 retail outlets. The retailer aims to offset the drop in revenues by offering financial services to its clients. It anticipates that 35% of its revenues will be generated through banking services.

Dixy Group shareholders approve USD200 million loan

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

Russian retailer Dixy Group’s shareholders have approved a syndicated loan of up to USD200 million at an extraordinary meeting. The loan will be extended by Raiffeisenbank, UniCredit Bank, Societe Generale Vostok and ING Bank N.V. The proceeds will be used for refinancing of USD135 million in outstanding debt.

Dixy Group has around RUB650 million roubles (USD21.7 million) of short-term debt. It also has RUB3 billion (USD100 million) of outstanding bonds due in 2011.

Baskin-Robbins Russia sales up in H1

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

�Baskin-Robbins Russia sales up in H1

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US-based ice cream chain Baskin-Robbins has reported a 20% sales rise in the Russian market during the first half of the year. Sales rose to RUB315 million (USD10.05 million).�Baskin-Robbins recently opened a number of Moscow�stores, including�12 franchisee-owned cafés and several company-owned airport cafés.

Russia's DIY and Household Congress 2011 to be Produced in Association with EDRA

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:00:00 +0400

The fifth international DIY and Household Congress 2011, Russia's leading forum for the DIY industry, will be produced in association with EDRA, the European DIY-Retail Association.

This cooperation helps to open up the fast growing Russian DIY market to European DIY retailers and manufacturers.

The DIY and Household Congress will take place at the Hilton Leningradskaya in Moscow on the 26-27^th May 2011 and will bring together the chief executives and industry leaders of Russia's local and international DIY retail chains, the manufacturers and distributors of DIY and home improvement products, and the suppliers to the industry.

“We are delighted to be working with EDRA for our 2011 DIY and Household Congress and feel that our cooperation will help us to raise the quality, yet again, of Russia's premier DIY forum after this year's hugely successful event and bring an even greater international participation to the event,” said Dominic Manley of BBCG.

�EDRA is proud to be associated with the DIY and Household Congress 2011 in Russia. I spoke at and attended the Congress earlier this year and was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the organisation, the standard of the speakers and the delegates and the relevant and insightful program,� remarked John Herbert of EDRA.

BBCG, as part of the agreement, will offer a 20% price reduction to EDRA members wishing to participate as delegates at the 2011 Congress.

EDRA (the European DIY-Retail Association), founded in 2002 by BHB and FMB, the German and French Home Centre Retail Associations, now has 24 members from 20 countries operating in 43 countries and became its own independent association on 1st January 2010.

EDRA operates on behalf of its members, the DIY retailers of Europe, through networking, communication and lobbying. EDRA s most important role is in developing and facilitating unity amongst its members to create a strong voice and representation for the home improvement industry.

www.edra-online.org

BBCG is recognized in Russia and internationally as the leading organiser of B2B events in the retail sector. Established in the 1990s BBCG works closely with the Russian Government, the leading trade associations, the business media and our sponsors and delegates.

BBCG produces conferences that address the key issues affecting businesses in Russia today whilst bringing together the leaders of the retail sectors we address.

www.russianretailbusiness.com

For more information please contact:

Dominic Manley, BBCG Ltd on +44 (0) 207 193 7863 or

manley@b2bcg.ru

John Herbert, EDRA on +49 (0) 221 2587 9588 or

info@edra-online.org

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Carrefour to potentially re-enter Russia

Praktiker to reduce supplier numbers by 25%

M.Video may acquire Ukrainian Comfy

Euroset enters agreement with Brightstar

X5 acquisition of Kopeika delayed

Kopeika desperately seeking funds

Euroset enters agreement with Alfa Bank

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Dixy Group shareholders approve USD200 million loan

Baskin-Robbins Russia sales up in H1

�Baskin-Robbins Russia sales up in H1

Russia's DIY and Household Congress 2011 to be Produced in Association with EDRA

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