11. 11. 09. - 11:00
Billa starts small shop pilot project
By Thomas Hochwarter
Supermarket chain Billa has started a pilot project shop in Vienna today (Tues) in a bid to attract a new sort of customer.
Billa
chief Volker Hornsteiner explained the new "Billa box" shop at
Garnisonsgasse in Vienna-Alsergrund – which opened this morning – is
considerably smaller than general Billa shops and mainly offers drinks,
coffee to go and snacks.
Hornsteiner said he planned to open more "Billa box" stores all across Austria if the project turned out to be a success.
Business
experts regard the move as an attack on fast food restaurants and
bakeries like Anker and Ströck that are popular especially with young
people for their snack range.
The Billa CEO also said 49 Billa
stores all over the country were being renovated this year. Hornsteiner
said that – considering closures and openings – there will be 1,000
shops at the end of the year.
Founded by Vienna businessman Karl Wlaschek in 1953, Austrian market leader Billa is part of the German Rewe group.

