Small is the new big

The Carrefour Polska Group, which, according to the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, is the third-largest French investor in Poland, has announced its new strategy. The group, which owns 38 Carrefour hypermarkets and 79 supermarkets as well as the Champion and Globi supermarkets in Poland, plans to introduce three new kinds of store. The value of the entire investment will be some zł.1 billion.

The strategy is the company's answer to the current market trend for smaller shops in smaller towns instead of focusing on big-city hypermarkets. These 'small hypermarkets' are the first new type of Carrefour store. They will range from 2,500 sqm to 4,000 sqm and each employ about 80 staff.

"Carrefour Polska will develop this kind of market in cities with a local population of 25,000 and at least 60,000 people living within the supermarket's catchment area," said Alain Souillard, president of Carrefour Polska. "These new types of shop will be compact versions of normal hypermarkets that will be adjusted to a small number of customers."  Souillard added that the first small hypermarket has already been launched in Jawrzo and seven more will open by the end of the year.

Carrefour Express will be another shop format, and will consist of stores measuring from 800 to 2,000 sqm. These express shops are going to be located in areas that have a small number of hypermarkets but have a population of between 10,000 and 15,000. "To put this idea into action, 45 Champion supermarkets will be re-branded Carrefour Express in 2007," Souillard revealed. "In 2008, the same thing will happen to all Globi supermarkets."

Carrefour Polska has also announced plans to establish franchising projects to establish shops ranging in size from 60 to 500 sqm. This concept is based on Carrefour's successful experience in countries such as Belgium, Italy, France and Greece. Two shops of this kind are to be introduced in Warsaw at the beginning of 2007. Located in prime locations, they will offer a variety of goods in addition to regional products.

Piotr Paciorek