Aligros and Carrefour sign partnership agreement in Italy

15/04/05 The Group Aligros, a leading food retailer in the Apulia region, and Carrefour, have signed a partnership agreement.

This agreement concerns more than 160 stores, mostly convenience stores, which currently trade, directly or as franchises, under the Gulliper, Gulliver, Gully and Bondì banners. The stores will progressively take on the banners of the group Carrefour according to their size.

Carrefour will hold 70% of the company which is going to operate the 160 referred grocery stores. The turnover under banners of these stores is approximately 160 million euros tax included.

Aligros S.p.A. will continue to manage independently and directly their other activities. These include Cash & Carry, non food and real estate.

This agreement must be approved by the antitrust authorities and is subject to the usual due diligence process. These conditions should be fulfilled in the second half of the year.

This partnership enables Carrefour to become co-leader in food retailing in the Apulia region in Italy. It follows a recent master franchise agreement with Ce.Di. Marche which came into effect on January 1st 2005, as well as an agreement with Finiper announced on March 10th 2005.