Hamburg-based retailer Edeka Group says it plans to continue expanding its supermarket network in Germany with the addition of around 200 new stores to its business during 2012.
'We still see a lot of potential in Germany for attractive grocery stores led by independent merchants,' commented Markus Mosa, the company's chief executive.
Edeka Group is the largest German supermarket operator, with a market share of approximately 26 per cent.
The group's Edeka Zentrale network is made up of several independent supermarket cooperatives, which operate around 4,500 stores under the Edeka banner.
Three years ago, Edeka reached agreement with Tengelmann to purchase a 70 per cent majority stake in the company's Plus discounter store division.
