You're reading: Dnipropetrovsk’s Varus retailer to open 6 stores by late 2013, 10-15 stores in 2014

Omega LLC, which develops the Varus supermarket and Varus-market convenience store chains, plans to open another six outlets in the cities and towns where the chain has been already presented, and in August the chain intends to make a decision on entering the Kyiv city market, CEO of the Varus chain, Geert-Jan ten Hoonte, has said in an interview with the Investgazeta publication.

“We plan to expand our presence in the cities where we already have our stores. By the end of the year we’ll open another six stores, and in 2014, 10-15 more supermarkets and convenience stores (will be opened). I hope that in August we’ll make a decision on entering Kyiv city,” Hoonte said.

He said that before coming to Kyiv, a serious base in the regions should be created. The chain plans to open small stores in the capital with the largest gross area of 1,000 square meters. The chain considers convenience stores as rivals, including Fora stores.

Hoonte said that the chain plans to have a 20 percent rise in turnover this year, while in 2012 the indicator came to Hr 2.5 billion.

“According to our internal estimates, we’ve even improved the situation due to the two reasons: we’ve boosted EBITDA, to Hr 95 million, and reduced our debt. The ratio (between the debt and EBITDА) came to some 1.5-1.6,” he said.

As reported, as of April 26, 2013, the chain had 33 outlets with gross area of 42,000 square meters. . The Varus chain is located in Dnipropetrovsk, Kryvy Rih, Dniprodzerzhynsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Nikopol.

Omega was established in 2000, it works in the food and non-food retail trade. The first supermarket opened in 2003 in Dnipropetrovsk.

Since 2010, the chain has produced products under its own Vyhoda brand and since August 2012 – under Varto brand.

Since January 2012, the chain is developed in a new format – convenience stores. A total of 12 Varus-markets was opened in Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad regions. Their average area is around 600 square meters.

Earlier the co-owner of the chain, Ruslan Shostak said that he is developing the Varus chain in partnership with Valeriy Kiptyk: they hold 50 percent  each in Omega.

According to the company, its major participants by the middle of July 2007 were Austria’s VAOL Holding GmbH (49 percent) and Shostak (50 percent).