Tudorache expects rises for drugstores without further investments

The Remedio drugstore chain expects a 20% sales increase this year, compared with the 75 million-RON (20.4 million-euro) figure reached in 2008, due to the maturing of existing stores. “We are talking about an increase without new projects, considering the investments we made over the last two years will reach maturity,” said Radu Tudorache, general manager of the drugstore chain. At the end of last year, Remedio operated a 61-drugstore network, and Radu Tudorache says the last drugstore openings occurred in 2007, whilst in 2008 the company was involved in relocations. “The investment budget and the first stage of the expansion process are over. The second stage will start in 2010,” said the businessman, without providing any further details. In the first quarter of this year, the drugstore network posted a 21.8 million-RON (5.2 million-euro) turnover, up 40% against the similar period of last year. The majority of drugstore networks announced turnover rises of over 40%, while in some cases it amounted to as much as 90%.