CBA wants to increase its sales points by acquiring stores of retailers pulling out of Hungary and modernizing its own units, Baldauf said.

CBA was market leader in Hungary in 2000.

At present, CBA has 1,500 franchise partners who employ about 35,000 people.

CBA said earlier its stores generated turnover of HUF 565 billion last year, HUF 10 billion more than in the previous year. The number of CBA stores was little changed at 3,372 units.

Data from market researcher Nielsen show UK-owned supermarket chain Tesco led the domestic market in 2010 with turnover of HUF 666.5 billion in its business year. CBA was runner-up with sales of HUF 555 billion and Hungarian-owned Coop was in third place with turnover of HUF 510 billion.