OREANDA-NEWS  On 13 November was announced, that opening of 32nd trade complex of "Lenta" network took place in Saratov. The shop is located in Zonalny settlement, Molodezhnaya street, 2а. Investments in the construction and opening of the hypermarket have made about 650 million roubles. The Shop in Saratov is the sixth trade complex opened by the company this year.

Mikhail Zhikharevich, marketing research manager for "Lenta", is commenting: "As the market of Saratov is rather free, intense competition in the near future is unlikely, we expect good results". In Saratov, according to Rosstat, retail trade turnover parameters (in 2007 - 73,5 thousand roubles per capita) and nominal salary (in 2007 - 8,5 thousand rubles per month) are rather decent, which speaks for medium level of effective demand. However, the level of competition in Saratov is low - only 2 shops are represented in large format. At the same time, population of Saratov- Engels conglomerate exceeds 1 million, and 3 hypermarkets (with the new "Lenta" included) are obviously not enough per one million of population (for comparison - in St.Petersburg there are more than 10 hypermarkets per 1 million of population).

The area of trade complex is about 12000 thousand sq.m., with the range of goods exceeding 13 thousand names of foodstuffs and consumer goods. Cash desk line consists of 40 cash sections, parking is designed for 400 cars. Approximately 400 Saratov residents have got their job in the new shop.

According to the tradition, the range of goods of this network is represented by local manufacturers. More than 20 manufacturers of the region have made contracts with "Lenta", among them are: Blando Trade House, Povolzhsky Trade House (Engels Dairy), AgroTekGroup (General’s Sausages), Saratovholod, Engels Bakery, Saratovhleb, Kirakosyan Individual Enterprise (Napoleon cakes), Zorinsky Meat Plant (home-made pel'menis), Confection, RIF Trade Complex, and other. Rent areas of the trade complex will be offering some additional services: "Euronetwork" - mobile communication services, household services - "Sekundochku", "German Dry-Cleaner’s"; gift and souvenir shops, flowers and drugstore, will be the represented by local businessmen.

In October, within the framework of the campaign of entering the regional markets, "Lenta" has also held its traditional meeting for regional partners in Penza where, in the end of the year, another shop of the network will open. Currently employment of staff for the trade complex in Penza is being competed.