"In the near future, we will expect that there will be the central Baltic base of a discount chain in Lithuania. I know that they are taking a very serious interest in one of such areas, the Kaunas FEZ, where they would establish their central base for all Baltic countries," Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kazys Starkevičius told reporters after the Cabinet's meeting on Monday.
Asked if he was speaking about Lidl, the minister said, "Yes."
However, Vytautas Petružis, CEO of the Kaunas FEZ, told BNS that he could not confirm the minister's words. He said that Lidl had shown interest in such a possibility several years ago.
"I can't confirm what the minister is saying. Of course, we do want them to be interested. There was interest several years ago. It is a fact that they are planning to set up that base," Petružis said.
Daina Balčiūienė, representative of Lidl’s Lithuanian company, told BNS that Lidl had a favorable view of the country’s market environment and was beginning to expand in Lithuania.
“Our employees are now looking for sites that would be suitable for building stores all across Lithuania. We would like to point out that Lidl is systematic in its work hence we plan to build several stores of the chain and warehouses, which will be opened at the same time,” she said.
Balčiūnienė refused to make more detailed comments about Lidl’s expansion plans, investments or terms.
Reportedly, Lidl has plans to open stores not only in Lithuania's five biggest cities, but also in every town with population of over 20,000 inhabitants.
The chain had planned to enter the Lithuanian market back in 2002 and purchased land plots for its stores, but it abandoned the project and started selling the land in around 2008.
Germany's CE Beteiligungs owns 100 percent of shares in Lidl Lithuania.
