Vienna International Retail and Consumer Industry News

Read the latest headlines about developments in the international retail and consumer industry in Vienna and Austria

ADEG Opens First Petrol Station

ADEG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of REWE AG, now expands its business by starting to provide the Styrian petrol stations.

October 14, 2010

Post and Bawag Join Branches

BAWAG PSK and the Post have agreed to work together more closely. BAWAG branches and larger post offices will offer in future both postal and banking services.

October 13, 2010

Online Sports Betting: Competition from William Hill

Local providers of online sports betting get a new competitor. William Hill, Britain's largest betting shop operator (about 2,300 stores) has launched its own Internet offering for Austria.

October 13, 2010

Klosterneuburg: LVA Invests 11.2 million euro in New Complex

The private food testing institution is erecting a new office and laboratory building north of Vienna, with 4,500 square meters of floor space for 120 employees.

October 13, 2010

Coface CEE Top 500 - Poland Largest Number of Companies in CEE

Poland has the largest number of companies in the Central and Eastern Europe Top 500 with 28.4%. Hungary ranks second with 16.6%, overtaking the Czech Republic, which is home for 13.8% of the CEE Top 500.

October 12, 2010

Kotányi: Sales in Russia Exceed 20 Million Euro

The Lower Austrian herb and spice producer expects sales in Russia for over 20 million euro this year.

October 12, 2010

Shopping Climate Index CEE - Slight Consumption Rebound

For the first time in the past two years the RegioData Shopping Climate Index CEE has improved considerably compared to the previous quarter.

October 12, 2010

Manufacturer of Fine Glass Villiglas Strengthens Management

Visionary and heir of billions Philipp D.Merckle takes Joseph Lindenberg and Manfred Pesek into the management of the fine glass manufacturing company.

October 11, 2010

Austria is Getting More Popular Among Arab People

Arab tourists find Austria increasingly pleasant. So far this year, the number of arrivals between January and August grew by 21% to 91,600 as compared to the same period of the previous year.

October 8, 2010

Wine Retailer Chain Wein & Co Expands

Wein & Co continues expanding. Since December 2009, 3 new stores have been opened. Tomorrow a new branch follows in the PlusCity in Linz, and for October and November further locations are expected at the Donauzentrum and the Mariahilfer street.

October 7, 2010

Bratislava: Investment in Slovak 'Las Vegas' in Danger

Bratislava might lose the planned amusement park "Metropolis", with an investment amount of 1.5 billion euro, if the Slovak government revokes the already approved tax concessions.

October 7, 2010

Zumtobel Closes Loss-Making Plant Space Cannon in Italy

Zumtobel, the shareholder of the company Space Cannon VH SRL, based in Fubine (Piedmont), a specialist in façade and event lighting and a member of the Zumtobel Group, has filed for liquidation.

October 7, 2010

Zumtobel Opened Light Center in Shanghai

More than 120 architects, designers and business partners enjoyed the Zumtobel opening gala for the new Light Center in Shanghai.

October 7, 2010

Vienna now has its own Expat Center

In Vienna, the first Expat Center in Austria was opened. The project was handled by the Vienna Business Agency (former WWFF).

September 30, 2010

McDonald´s opening new McCafes in Austria

The fast-food chain McDonald´s is planning to open four new McCafes in Austria soon - in Innsbruck, Stockerau, Vienna and St. Pölten.

September 30, 2010

Rehau invests EUR 2 million into office centre in Guntramsdorf

Polymer producer Rehau is to invest more than EUR 2 million into the modernisation of its Austrian office centre in Guntramsdorf, near Vienna.

September 30, 2010

Demmers Teehaus Seeks Entry into New CEE Markets

The Austrian tea specialist Demmer, who is expanding into CEE with a franchising strategy, wants to enter new markets.

September 30, 2010

Wolford - Werner Baldessarini to be appointed as a member of the supervisory board

Ex-chief of Hugo Boss, the Kufstein born Werner Baldessarini is to support the Austrian hosiery and underwear manufacturer Wolford.

September 29, 2010

Insolvencies: Declining Trend for Both Companies and Individuals

KSV expects 10% less insolvencies for 2010, but warns about the consequences of fiscal budget adjustment.

September 28, 2010

MTH Handels-Holding of Josef Taus permitted to acquire German retail chain Mäc-Geiz

The sale of the insolvent German retail trade chain Mäc-Geiz has been completed. Anti-trust authorities have approved the takeover of the German company by MTH Handels-Holding GmbH (Vienna) controlled by the Austrian industrialist Josef Taus.

September 23, 2010

Alpenmilch and Käsehof Under the Leadership of Christian Leeb

After the merger between Alpenmilch Salzburg and Käsehof in the summer of 2010, both companies are under common management: Alpenmilch CEO Christian Leeb has now been appointed by the General Assembly also as Käsehof CEO.

September 23, 2010

Austria Continues Being the Largest Investor in Romania

"Romania is an important market in Eastern Europe for the Austrian economy. Its great importance for us is proved by the fact that Austria is by far the largest investor in Romania"

September 23, 2010

Furniture Trade Grows by Feeble 1.6%

Austrian furniture retail-sales reported a growth of just 1.6% and therefore has showed growth for the sixth consecutive time. The low rate is due to products that are actually not furniture.

September 23, 2010

Liebherr Lienz Employees on Short Time

The refrigeration equipment manufacturer requests AMS for short-time working aid from mid-October to mid-April 2011. Liebherr had 80% of its workforce working short time already in 2009. At the Lienz site, a staff of 1,475 is currently employed.

September 22, 2010

Tirol Milch Votes for Takeover by Berglandmilch

The General Assembly resulted in 88.26% voting for the takeover by Berglandmilch of Upper Austria. The Berglandmilch cooperatives and the antitrust authority have to agree yet.

September 21, 2010

Wolford opened a production facility in Slovenia

The Bregenz based and stock exchange listed producer of lingerie and hosiery opened its plant in Murska Sobota, Slovenia.

September 20, 2010

Austria's Management and Supervisory Boards’ Salaries on the Test Bench

The partly state-run OMV had the most expensive board of all Austrian corporations in 2009. In total, the oil company spent 10.2 million euro on its bosses, 23.4% more than the previous year.

September 20, 2010

Wine Exports: Prices Rose by 14%

Local winemakers were able to achieve an average price of 1.91 € per liter for exported wine. However, the total volume of wine exported declined.

September 16, 2010

After its merger with PartyGaming, bwin has moved its headquarters to Gibraltar

The domestic Internet betting provider bwin recently merged with the British PartyGaming, and becomes the world's largest betting provider. However, the company has moved its headquarters from Vienna to Gibraltar after the takeover.

September 13, 2010

Sugar cartel held Austria by the short hairs from 2004 to 2008

Südzucker, Agrana and another provider sealed off the Austrian sugar market by collusion from 2004 to 2008. The Competition Authority has filed an application for a fine. A chief witness has spilled the beans.

September 10, 2010

XXXLutz takes over Slovenia's largest furniture retailer

The furniture store XXXLutz recently took over Slovenia’s largest furniture retailer Lesnina.

September 10, 2010

Bauhaus arrives in Bulgaria via Vienna

The German do-it-yourself group Bauhaus, which controls all its CEE business from Austria, has ambitious plans for Bulgaria.

September 10, 2010

Zotter intends to conquer German cities

The Styrian chocolate maker Josef Zotter wants to open chocolate shops in the German cities of Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. He is currently looking for experienced franchise partners.

September 9, 2010

Gambling - Awarding of Austrian concessions not in line with EU laws

After Germany, the domestic monopoly must also be abolished. According to the EU Court of Justice, the awarding of the concession to Casinos Austria is against EU laws due to the lack of a call for tenders.

September 9, 2010

Berlakovich - Agricultural subsidies must not fall

ÖVP Minister of Agriculture Berlakovich rejected the demand of EU Budget Commissioner Lewandowski. The agricultural budget is one percent of the EU budget and can not continue to shrink.

September 7, 2010

Riedel opens office in Shanghai

Georg Riedel, head of family-owned glass maker Riedel, has announced plans to put more focus on the firm’s investment in China.

September 6, 2010

CA Immo International completes first phase of DIY store OBI in Romania

Construction phase one of the retail development project in Sibiu has been concluded - DIY store OBI opens with 9,700 sqm of usable space.

September 2, 2010

Casinos Austria International in the red

The overseas subsidiary of Casinos Austria, Casinos Austria International (CAI), fell deep into the red in the first six months of 2010.

September 1, 2010

Casinos Austria Opens Casino in Glasgow

Third CAI project in 2010 – total investment of € 50 million.

September 1, 2010

Teak Holz issues convertible bond with value of EUR 10 million

The bond matures in five years and bears a coupon of 5 percent.

September 1, 2010

Hofer making 'organic' profits

Growth drivers are milk, fruit and vegetables. After a crisis based collapse in 2008 and 2009, the organic market increased significantly this year.

August 30, 2010

Schöps has interest in Stiefelkönig

Retail outlets are for sale, initial talks with entrepreneur Jamal Al-Wazzan already took place.

August 30, 2010

Red Bull taking flight

In 2008 and 2009, the energy drink maker halved the gain compared to 2007. Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz wants his energy drink to build on old booms and sparkles, and he is optimistic.

July 23, 2010

Bwin’s successful World Cup record

bwin, the world's leading online gaming operator, recorded a record sports betting turnover at the 2010 Football World Cup compared to previous major events.

July 13, 2010

REWE takes remaining 25 percent od ADEG

Rewe acquires Adeg. Two years ago, the group took over 75 percent of the retail chain in Austria. The deal does not require to be registered at the European Commission. Adeg is already completely integrated into Rewe.

July 7, 2010

Agrana Beteiligungs-AG - AGM approves unchanged dividend

The 23rd Annual General Meeting of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG today voted to pay a dividend unchanged from the prior year - of EUR 1.95 per share for the completed 2009/10 financial year.

July 2, 2010

Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG - Change of total voting rights

Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG hereby announces that at the end of the month June 2010 the number of voting rights amounts to a total of 35.956.688 voting rights.

June 30, 2010

Zielpunkt to be sold again

New Zielpunkt boss Satek wants reorganization of the chain rather than a split

June 28, 2010

Bene AG - Results for the first quarter of 2010/11

In the first quarter of 2010/11 sales and earnings of the Bene Group were still affected by the difficult economic environment in most of the markets.

June 23, 2010

Textile Industry remains attractive

The industry managed to register sales increase for the sixth consecutive year, the trend is upwards.

June 17, 2010