Retailer Mega Image, owned by Belgian group Delhaize, will open its first supermarket in a shopping mall in Bucharest this week-end, after focusing exclusively on street retail units. The retailer has finalized the re-branding of the former G'market store in Plaza Romania shopping center in Romanian capital Bucharest, and will re-open it on Saturday (March 3).

Mega Image bought three units in the G'Market chain in Romania last year. Another shopping center unit is located in Bucuresti Mall, the first shopping center opened in Romania in late 90s.

Mega Image, with a sales network of 100 units, wants to speed up the pace of openings, with eight new stores in March, after opening nine in the first two months of the year.

G’Market used to run stores in Plaza Romania, Bucuresti Mall, both shopping centers owned by Anchor Group, and a street location in Colentina, in Eastern Bucharest, on some 6,400 sqm of retail space in total.

The Mega Image chain posted revenues of 212 million in 2010, up from EUR 146 million the year before, according to data from the Finance Ministry. It re-became profitable last year, with a profit of EUR 0.53 million, compared to a loss of EUR 3.3 million in 2009.

editor@romania-insider.com