German 'plus' Plans To Invest 250 M Eur In Bulgaria Till 2011

Plus, part of Germany's Tengelmann group, plans to complete a E250m investment in Bulgaria by 2011, according to corporate communications officer Nicole Dinter.

The company plans to build a logistics centre and develop a network of 150 stores across Bulgaria within a five-year period from its entry into the country in 2006.

"We intend to open our logistics platform near Sofia in the first quarter of 2009," Dinter said. "At the same time [in the first quarter of 2009] we intend to open approximately 30 discount stores across Bulgaria."

The key players on the Bulgarian retail market are local chains Fantastiko, Familia, Evropa, CBA, Piccadilly and 345, and international majors such as German groups Metro, Kaufland, HIT and Billa and Lithuanian retail chain Maxima, operating under the T-Market brand.

German discount supermarket chain Lidl is due to open its first Bulgarian store soon and France's Carrefour is expected to enter the country soon.international.ibox.bg