Wal-Mart Stores has again been linked to Russian grocer Kopeika, with speculation in the country claiming the US retail giant has resumed talks with the owners of the business.
A report in Russian business daily Vedomosti today (15 October) claimed that Wal-Mart had restarted negotiations with Kopeika, a business it has been linked with for the best part of a decade.
Wal-Mart could face competition to buy Kopeika. Last month, Russia’s anti-monopoly service granted X5 Retail Group, Russia’s largest retailer by sales, permission to acquire Kopeika if it wished to pursue a deal.
Wal-Mart has had an office in Moscow since 2008 with officials studying how to enter Russia’s retail market.
Since then, the company has been linked to retailers including Kopeika and Lenta, which has been embroiled in a recent spat between shareholders.
In June, Doug McMillon told Bloomberg that disagreements with potential acquisition targets in Russia had hindered Wal-Mart’s plans to enter the market.
