Spanish health foods chain Naturhouse will open 1,500 stores globally by 2011 to expand in the growing obesity and weight-loss market, according to marketing manager Carolina Lopez.
The chain will roll out 15 stores in the European Union this year. Plans are also underway to launch 200 outlets in Mexico and 200 in Florida, US, where Naturhouse recently opened a store in Miami, Lopez said. Moreover, Naturhouse is studying building a new factory in Poland.
The company offers weight-reduction treatments and its own food brands. It has over 700 stores worldwide, the majority in Spain and Portugal. Employing 1,600 people, Naturhouse delivered sales of €52m (US$67.4m) in 2003, its latest results period.