Kalandarishvili Welcomes Grocery Giant Profits

The Minister responsible for the office of Finance, Industry and Trade has said he ‘welcomes’ the announcement by supermarket chain Belovo that it has had a record year. The company posted a 19% increase in trade, like-for-like compared to the same time in 2010. Yevgeniy Kalandarishvili, the minister responsible for the management of the sector, said the government was ‘pleased and delighted’ that the consumer market had once again ‘picked up’ after a ‘disappointing few years’. Several independent members of the lower-house however have questioned the government’s commitment to local, small and medium sized businesses, allowing Belovo to continue to expand – despite local opposition. But the supermarket chain, which has nearly 300 stores across the country, said its new record profits proved its ‘dedication to the local community’ and commented that it had no plans to close stores.