1st Apr 2008 07:01
X5 Retail Group N.V.01 April 2008 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN, INTO OR FROM THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN PRESS RELEASE X5 RETAIL GROUP TO LAUNCH NEW PREMIUM SUPERMARKET CONCEPT UNDER THE "GREEN PEREKRESTOK" BRAND Moscow, April 1, 2008 - X5 Retail Group N.V., Russia's largest food retailer bysales volume, announced the launch of a new premium-class supermarket conceptunder the "Green Perekrestok" brand name. The first branded store is scheduledto open in July 2008. Green Perekrestok supermarkets will offer a high level of service and a uniqueassortment of products that target customers with discriminating tastes. Themain competitive advantages of Green Perekrestok supermarkets will be theopportunity to purchase both everyday necessities and select exclusive goods.Customers will be offered a wide assortment of high-quality prepared foods and abroad range of additional services, including individual consultations forgourmet products such as cheese, fish, meat, wine and liquor. The stores willhave their own bakeries and delis, and at checkout purchases will be bagged forthe customers. In commenting about the launch of Green Perekrestok, X5 Retail Group's ChiefOperational Officer Antonio Melo said: "Thanks to the impressive development of the Russian economy over the lastseveral years, the prosperity of many Russians has grown steadily, and thisindisputably positive factor enables us to extend our service offering, in linewith our multi-format strategy. According to estimates, there are thousands ofconsumers in the premium goods segment in large cities and individual regions.We are launching the Green Perekrestok project with these customers in mind. Thepremium class format has only recently emerged in the Russian market, but it isalready successful and we intend to take a leadership position in this segmentas well, through the Green Perekrestok supermarket concept. We aim to buildstrong customer loyalty by offering a high level of service, a broad assortmentof exclusive products, conveniently located stores, and a distinguishedcontemporary design in the stores that creates a warm and comfortableatmosphere." The first Green Perekrestok store will open in Rostov-on-the-Don in the AstorPlaza shopping center, where an existing Perekrestok supermarket will bere-branded. The new store's selling area will be 1,400 sq. m. and the productassortment will include approximately 14,000 SKUs. In the future, new premium class supermarkets will be opened after eitherre-branding existing Perekrestok stores or acquiring new spaces. For further details please contactAnna Kareva Elena CherkalovaIR Director PR ManagerTel.: +7 (495) 980-2729, ext. 22 162 Tel.: +7 (495) 950-5577e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] Note to Editors: X5 Retail Group N.V. is Russia's largest food retailer in terms of sales. TheCompany was created as a result of a merger between Pyaterochka (soft discounterchain) and Perekrestok (supermarket chain) on 18 May 2006. As of 31 December 2007, the Group had 674 Company managed soft discount storeslocated in Moscow (309), St. Petersburg (244) and other Russian areas (121), 179Company managed supermarkets across Central Russia and Ukraine, including 105stores in Moscow (Moscow region and Yaroslavl region), and 15 Company managedhypermarkets. As of 31 December 2007, X5's franchisees operated 688 stores across Russia andKazakhstan. The Group's net sales for the full year 2007 reached USD 5,320 mln, an increaseof 53% year-on-year. Gross profit for the period totaled USD 1,404 mln, EBITDAamounted to USD 479 mln. Full year 2007 net income reached USD 141 mln. Forward looking statements: This announcement includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements can be identifiedby the fact that they do not only relate to historical or current events.Forward-looking statements often use words such as" anticipate", "target", "expect", "estimate", "intend", "expected", "plan", "goal" believe", or otherwords of similar meaning. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty becausethey relate to future events and circumstances, a number of which are beyond X5Retail Group N.V.'s control. As a result, actual future results may differmaterially from the plans, goals and expectations set out in theseforward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of X5 Retail Group N.V.speak only as at the date of this announcement. Save as required by anyapplicable laws or regulations, X5 Retail Group N.V. undertakes no obligationpublicly to release the results of any revisions to any forward-lookingstatements in this document that may occur due to any change in its expectationsor to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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