Italian retailer Conad has reiterated plans to spend EUR770m (US$957.3m) on expanding its network, including the possibility of acquisitions.
Conad has set out plans to open 260 new stores and snap up other chains between 2012 and 2014.
The project was scheduled to run between 2011 and 2013 but was delayed by Conad’s acquisition in December of a clutch of Billa stores in Italy from German retail giant Rewe.
Conad last week reported a 4% increase in sales for 2011 to EUR10.2bn. It led to its share of the Italian grocery market climbing 0.7 percentage points to 10.6%.