After a two-year suspension in developing its Polish network, Super-Pharm is establishing two new stores. Super-Pharm already has two stores in Warsaw and Opole. Super-Pharm invested $450,000 in each of the new stores, one in Wroclaw, which has 850,000 residents, and the other in Szczecin, a port city on the German border with 750,000 residents.
The Super-Pharm stores in Poland, which have the same format as the chain's stores in Israel, were opened before the Christmas and New Year's shopping season. Super-Pharm CEO Lior Reitblatt said Christmas sales at the new stores greatly contributed to the chain's rapid exposure and customer consciousness in Poland.
Despite the large number of pharmacies in Poland, the proportion of drug and medical cosmetics sales by Super-Pharm's Polish stores is double that in Israel. Reitblatt said sales growth was almost identical to the predictions in the business plan.
Super-Pharm recently signed four leases and is negotiating to open six more stores. Super-Pharm will have nine stores in Poland by the end of 2004. Super-Pharm has invested an estimated $4 million in Poland.
The new stores were opened with great ceremony in the presence of the cities' mayors, local dignitaries, and media representatives. Each opening was accompanied by an ad campaign comprising billboards and flyers, similar to Super-Pharm campaigns in Israel.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on January 6, 2004