Grigoras appointment underlines Santo International ambitions

Romanian duty-free retailer Santo International has announced the appointment of Gabriela Grigoras to the role of commercial director. Grigoras, previously import manager at rival Romanian retailer Comturist, left the company after it decided to focus on its business in the domestic market, will be part of the executive team hoping to more than double Santo International’s sales this year.

 

Santo International, which operates luxury downtown outlets as well as duty-paid and duty-free stores on Romanian borders, is hoping to grow turnover from €6m last year to €15m in 2008. The company aims to achieve the target by opening new shops, with travel-retail outlets soon to open on the borders with Hungary and Bulgaria.

 

Santo is also looking to expand into other sales channels, including distribution to the domestic market and hopes to drive growth further by engaging suppliers in direct relationships as opposed to dealing through local agents.

 

Santo was established in 2000 by CEO Costin Rosu and has achieved sales growth of over 20% ever since. It was the was the first company to reopen border shops on the intra-EU borders with Hungary and  Bulgaria following the countries’ accession to the EU, in April 2007. Later that year it took advantage of the new Romanian duty-free law to open duty-free border shops on the Serbian and Moldovan frontiers.

 

The company also operates duty-paid and duty-free outlets at Bucharest Baneasa International airport.

 

Bucharest World Trade Centre: Le Club downtown luxury shop

Bucharest Marriott Hotel: downtown luxury hotel shop

Bucharest central railway station: downtown shop

Bucharest Baneasa International airport: duty-paid and duty-free shops

Hungarian border (Bors, Nadlac, Valea lui Mihai, Varsand and soon Cenad): duty-paid shops

Bulgarian border (Bechet, Giurgiu and soon Vama Veche and Calafat): duty-paid shops

Serbian border (Stamora Moravita): duty-free shop

Moldovan border (Albita): duty-free shop