Turkish Retailer Up for Bid

From Staff Reports

Carrefour SA, Europe’s largest retailer, and its Turkish partner, Sabanci Holding AS, may make a bid for Turkey’s largest supermarket chain, Migros Turk TAS.

The sale process won’t begin until September, Sabanci CEO Ahmet Dorduncu said to reporters in Istanbul.

Migros Turk controls a 20% share of Turkey’s $16 billion supermarket industry. It also co-owns Ramstone, a chain of superstore and supermarkets in Russia.

Bloomberg News reported that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) had also pondered the possibility of purchasing a stake in Migros Turk, but the Arkansas-based retailer didn’t comment on Carrefour’s move.

Whoever wins Migros Turk will receive not only a successful supermarket chain, but one that’s in a safe and growing economy in the Middle East. Turkey has been cutting deals, leading to a record $20 billion in foreign investment last year.