The discount store network Kaufland derives around 80% of its sales from food products, a higher percentage than the level registered by other traditional hypermarket networks such as Carrefour and Real.

Kaufland has recently invested 8 million euros in opening the network's thirty-first store in Odorheiul Secuiesc, which marks the retailer's last opening for this year.

"The expansion plan for 2008 is not completed yet, so we cannot provide details on the expansion for the time being," said representatives of Kaufland Romania.

Medium term plans include the opening of around 50 Kaufland stores on the Romanian market, particularly in small and medium-sized towns. The German retailer brought a different concept onto the market compared to the one embraced by its competitors: a smaller hypermarket, with a sales area of 3,000 to 5,000 square metres, and a discount policy.

Kaufland investments in Romania have now reached around 354 million euros. This year, the retailer invested approximately 10 million euros in building its headquarters in the Floreasca district of Bucharest. The operator holds 2 hypermarkets in the Capital City and has plans for expansion.

Kaufland Romania registered sales worth 232 million euros last year with 17 stores.

Kaufland, a division of the German group Lidl&Schwarz, entered the domestic market in 2005 and, apart from its store network, owns a central warehouse in Ploiesti. The retailer has so far hired around 6,000 people on the Romanian market.

Discount stores have seen the fastest growth in Romanian retail over the last two years. By the end of this year, they could number over 200 stores, as compared with 60 in 2005. Other retailers present on this segment include Penny Market, Plus Discount, Profi and MiniMax Discount.

The hypermarket sector also includes the Carrefour, Cora, Auchan and Real