Moscow: X5 retailer plans to open chain of 45-50 "hard discount” stores

X5 Retail Group plans to open a chain of 45-50 hard discount stores under the Chizik brand name in 2021, according to the company’s Strategy Director, Vladimir Salakhutdinov. "They will start opening this week. The first store will open on Dolgoprudnaya Street in Moscow on Thursday. Although we will open only a few pilot stores this year, we plan to develop the chain up to 45-50 stores next year," Salakhutdinov said.

X5 Retail Group N.V. operates several retail brands: the Pyaterochka chain of stores, the Perekrestok supermarket chain and the Karusel hypermarket chain. On 30 September 2019, X5 had 15,752 company-operated stores and it added 492 net new stores in Q3 2019.