Catalan retailer Caprabo this week opened the first of 22 stores under the Caprabo fascia in the autonomous community of Navarra. The stores, 14 of which are in the city of Pamplona, were converted from the Super Mabo fascia which Caprabo acquired as part of its takeover of regional retailer Nekea in July.
This is the first time that Caprabo has operated stores in Navarra, and allows it to extend its presence in the north of Spain. It now has 29 stores in that part of the country, essentially in the Navarra and Aragon regions, out of a nationwide total of 500.
The company said it had invested more than €4 million in converting the 22 stores to its own fascia. All the Super Mabo stores were closed at the same time, converted, and then re-opened again three days later as Caprabo outlets.
Over the next few weeks, the company said it would open two other supermarkets which it acquired from Nekea under the Caprabo fascia. All Caprabo's stores in Navarra, Aragon and Rioja will be supplied from a central depot in Noain (Navarra).
The Navarra stores have a selling space of between 500 and 1,000 square metres, and are mainly convenience outlets. They all carry a range of everyday food products, as well as pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
All the outlets also carry the full range of Caprabo services, including its loyalty card, its Bienvenido Bebe mother and baby scheme and its free home delivery service. The company's Internet shopping scheme, www.capraboacasa.com, will be introduced gradually throughout the Navarra region. All the stores will also be encouraged to stock a wide range of local products, in line with other Caprabo outlets elsewhere in Spain.
Caprabo is the market leader in Cataluna, the Balearic Islands, Madrid, Levante and now Navarra regions of Spain. It is the seventh largest food retailer in Spain, although it is the third largest Spanish-owned retailer. Its sales last year reached €1.6 billion, up 10.5 per cent compared to the previous year, and should reach €2 billion this year.