Rewe boosts Italian empire


MILAN: German retailer Rewe Group has bought Unica, the Italian chain. Unica, which operates 18 supermarkets in Piedmont under the Uni fascia, generated turnover of €130m in 2006. The purchase expands Rewe's Italian portfolio, which already includes 245 Penny discount stores, 245 Standa stores, 66 Billa stores and 11 Bipa drugstores. "With a total turnover of more than €2bn, Italy is our second-largest foreign market after Austria," said Alain Caparros, CEO of Rewe Group. "We will expand our position on the Italian food trading market by organic growth and the possibility of takeovers."