Romanian retailer Mic.ro, part of Dinu Patriciu's Mercadia Holland retail group has invested EUR 45 million in opening over 600 units in over 50 big cities in Romania, the company has announced. Mic.ro started investing in the network of small neighborhood stores in April 2010. It currently works with 4,000 staff, which serve the Mic.ro stores covering between 35 and 50 sqm each. The Mic.ro chain also includes mobile units. The network has around 180,000 clients every day.

The company has also started to re-brand the miniMax Discount stores it has bought, placing them under the brand Macro. The first such store was opened in Brasov.

“We continue to invest in a consistent presence in every region in order to consolidate our position of main player in the proximity retail segment in Romania,” said Richard Mansel, CEO of Mic.ro and Macro in Romania.

Proximity stores rank first among retail formats in Romania, based on the purchase frequency, according to Mic.ro. Urban inhabitants visit these stores on an average 15 times a month, according to the company. Proximity stores cover around half of the sales in the fast moving consumer goods retail market in Romania, according to Mic.ro.

Mercadia Holland owns Mic.ro, Macro and miniMax Discount, Bet Cafe Arena, BioGood, the Heritage and Madame Pogany's restaurants in Bucharest. Dinu Patriciu is the founder of oil and gas group Rompetrol, that he sold to KazmunaiGaz. He went on to invest in real estate, retail and media. Patriciu ranks 540th in the Forbes top of billionaires for 2011, being one of the remaining two Romanians still in the top. His media company also publishes the local edition of the Forbes magazine.

Corina Saceanu, corina@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Mic.ro)