DUSHANBE, January 30, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Auchan Russia, which is subsidiary of Groupe Auchan SA and one of the largest retailers in the Russia Federation, has reportedly signed an agreement with Schiever Group, the French company which partners with Auchan Group in France and Poland, on opening its stores in Tajikistan.

According to the Auchan Russia’s website, Auchan Russia will supply goods manufactured in the Russian Federation under its own brand. The goods will be supplied to Tajikistan from Auchan Russia’s storehouses located in Novosibirsk.

The first Auchan City store with sales floor space of nearly 5,000 square meters is expected to open in Dushanbe in 2015.

We will recall that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) noted in November last year that it extends €5 million to Schiever Tajikistan for local franchise.

According to the EBRD Resident Office in Dushanbe, the Bank is extending a financing package of €5 million to Schiever Tajikistan, a subsidiary of Schiever group, the French company which partners with Auchan group in France and Poland where it operates Auchan hypermarkets.  Schiever will have the Auchan master franchise for Tajikistan.

Signing the agreement in Dushanbe, EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti said: “We are proud to be part of this landmark project; the EBRD’s largest corporate investment in Tajikistan so far.  We invest in changing lives. Bringing the first discount hypermarket to Tajikistan will improve not only the lives of local people, but will also introduce higher standards in the retail industry and create jobs along the value chain.”

Groupe Auchan SA is a French international retail group and multinational corporation headquartered in Croix, France.  It is one of the world''s principal distribution groups with a presence in 12 countries.  Auchan has branches in France, and internationally in Italy, India, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Poland, Hungary, Russia, China, Taiwan, Romania and Ukraine.  Auchan has operated in Russia since 2002.