"ALFA-BETA" VASSILOPOULOS S.A. PRESS RELEASE ON FOURTH QUARTER AND FISCAL YEAR 2008 REVENUES
ATHENS - "ALFA-BETA" VASSILOPOULOS (Athens Stock Exchange: BASIK) announced today that during Q4 2008, consolidated revenues increased by 12.7% compared to prior year's corresponding period and reached to 379.1 million EUR from 336.3 million EUR. The full year consolidated revenues amounted to 1,337.1 million EUR from 1,174.9 million EUR in 2007, an increase of 13.8%.
In 2008, "ALFA-BETA" continued its organic development activity with the opening of eight new supermarkets and five affiliated stores, while in parallel, the procedure of remodeling and upgrading the stores of HOLDING AND FOOD TRADING COMPANY SINGLE PARTNER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY & CO LIMITED PARTNERSHIP (former PLUS Hellas) that was acquired in Q2 2008, was completed.
Additionally, the construction of the new modern storage and distribution centre of fresh products at Inofyta in Boeotia continued at a very satisfactory pace, whereas the storage and distribution centre in Thessaloniki, which caters the needs of the stores in Northern Greece, was in full operation.
Furthermore, in Q4 2008, the first two "Lion Food" stores were inaugurated. This particular type of store has sales area of approximately 900-1000 square meters and is offering 3.000 basic products at very low prices. Depending on the clients' responsiveness, this new type of store will be further expanded in other areas inside and outside of Greece.
At the end of the year the Group's sales network numbered 201 stores of which 121 are company operated retail stores, 29 retail stores of the company HOLDING AND FOOD TRADING COMPANY SINGLE PARTNER LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY & CO LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, 41 are franchise stores and 10 are wholesale stores operating under the banner ENA Cash-and-Carry.
For 2009, "ALFA-BETA" VASSILOPOULOS plans an acceleration of its organic store-opening program. It will add 16 new stores to its network, extending it to 217 stores.
The company has scheduled to publish the financial results of fiscal year 2008 within the first fortnight of March 2009.
"ALFA-BETA" VASSILOPOULOS S.A.
"ALFA-BETA" VASSILOPOULOS S.A., is a food retail company established in 1969 and member of the Belgian Delhaize Group since 1992. At the end of 2007, the Group "ALFA-BETA" operated 159 stores (113 company-operated food retail sales points, 10 cash-and-carry stores, & 36 affiliated stores) and employed 7,545 people. In 2007, Consolidated Turnover amounted EUR 1,174.9 million and Consolidated Profit before tax EUR 50.0 million. "ALFA-BETA" VASSILOPOULOS S.A. is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange (BASIK) since 1990.