OREANDA-NEWS. On 20 April 2009 was announced, that opening of the first hypermarket "Lenta" has taken place in Novorossiysk. On April, 16 the second store in Omsk flung its doors open. Investments in construction of each shop have made over 650 million roubles

With the opening of its new shops commercial network "Lenta" will consist of 36 hypermarkets in 17 cities of Russia. The general area of "Lenta" hypermarkets all over Russia will make 430 thousand square meters, of which trade areas make 260 thousand sq.m.

The hypermarket in Novorossiysk has become the third one of the network in Krasnodar region. Investments of Lenta Company in the economy of this region will make almost 2 billion roubles. The Company has employed about 700 people. Products of more than 50 local manufacturers are represented in the shelves of the three hypermarkets "Lenta". The general area of the hypermarket in Novorossiysk is about 12000 sq.m., the trade areas occupy 8100 sq.m.

Alexey Zyumenkov, Regional Director of Lenta Company for Southern Volga region, comments: "Krasnodar region is very attractive for retailers. For example, in Krasnodar, where the two of our shops work successfully, retail turnover parameters are among the highest in the country, and besides there is intense competition in large format - 9 hypermarkets for 700 thousand inhabitants. As to Novorossiysk, it is among the cities with low level of retail development, however, the potential of this city is very high. Having successful operational experience in similar cities (Petrozavodsk and Novgorod the Great) as to population and retail trade turnover, we are firmly convinced of the good prospects of our shop in Novorossiysk. Moreover, "Lenta" will become the first shop of hypermarket format in this city ".

In April opening of "Lenta" hypermarket has also taken place in Omsk, which became the second shop of this network in the city. Trade store in 21 Amurskaya street is the analogue of the first shop: the general area is about 12000 sq.m., trade facilities– 8100 sq.m.

According to the results of the year 2008, the first hypermarket in Omsk which was opened in autumn of 2007, has shown good results: the turnover in December, 2008, in comparison with December, 2007 has grown 26 %, gain of buyers - 51 %. The share of goods on the shelves, made by local manufacturers, amounts to over 25 %.

Khana Bodorikova, Regional Director of Lenta Company for Siberian-Ural region, comments: "In hypermarket segment, the retail trade market of Omsk has not been saturated yet. According to our information, there are 6 shops of large format in the city, which is not enough for a city with millions of population. Taking into account the successful operational experience of the first hypermarket "Lenta" in Omsk, we strongly believe in the good prospects of the second shop ".

With opening of the new trade stores in Novorossiysk and Omsk, the number of complexes located outside Saint -Petersburg will increase up to 22. Lenta Company has great expectations for the regions. During the recent months 45 % of the company’s proceeds have been provided by the shops located outside St.Petersburg.