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Article featured in Business Beijing, May 2004
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English 1000, Chinese 1000

French "Champion" opens in Beijing

2004/05/15

Europe's leading fresh food supermarket operator Champion introduced a new way of selling to China yesterday with the opening of its first Asian outlet, according to an April 30 China Daily report.

Covering close to 3,000 square metres, the supermarket is located in South Beijing's bustling Jinsong residential area.

Phillipe Pauze, Champion president, explained that the stores were different from the hypermarkets operated by its parent firm Carrefour in that Champion supermarkets are specifically engaged in providing various fresh food, including vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood and snacks to the customers, and they are all set up in residential communities.

As a professional food retailer, Champion boasts rich experience and knowledge in the storage, selection and distribution of foodstuffs, as well as food safety supervision; and as an arm of the Carrefour Group, Champion shares purchasing resources with Carrefour, which may guarantee a price advantage in every Champion supermarket, stated Pauze.

Champion joined forces with local chain Beijing Shoulian to operate the Beijing outlet, with Champion and Shoulian taking 65 per cent and 35 per cent stakes in the joint venture.

Pauze explained that Beijing was the location of the firm's first Asian outlet as a result of China's huge market potential, the nation's growing demand for safe and high quality food and the commercial possibilities offered by the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Beijing municipal government wants to accelerate the development of commercial services in residential communities, with the opening of 500 convenience stores and supermarkets this year. According to sources within the Beijing Commerce Bureau, by the end of last September, 1,566 such shops had already opened for business in the capital, but they only covered 65 per cent of the city's residential areas.



 
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