AUCHAN Ningbo Zhenhai Store - 欧尚宁波镇海店

Auchan Ningbo Zhenhai Store known as 欧尚宁波镇海店 (Ōushàng Níngbō Zhènhǎi Diàn) is a hypermarket located in a new residential zone in Luotuo, the future city center of Zhenhai District, at the crossing of Luoxing West road and Dongyi North road.

Opened in September 2011, Auchan Zhenhai is a 1 storey hypermarket established in a large shopping area called Yinyi Haishang Plaza. A wide range of products can be found such as electric appliances, clothes, kitchenware, toys, stationery, cosmetics, a wide food section (including fresh vegetables and fruits), drinks and imported food.

A large indoor parking lot is available. The access ramp is located on the right side of the mall’s building just after the crossing of Luoxing and Dongyi roads. Parking garage is on level 3 and 4 while supermarket is on the level 2 and shopping area on level 1.

Auchan company was created in France in 1961 by Gérard Mulliez, a self-proclaimed autodidact born on 13 May 1931. He opened his first store in Roubaix (Northern France) in the “Hauts Champs” district (pronounced the same as “Auchan”) from which the company takes its name.
In 1903, before Gerard was even born, the Mulliez family had founded a manufacturer of textiles named Phildar that turned to the retail sector in 1946 then licensed the first Phildar franchise store in 1956. Phildar grew to become one of the largest textiles distributors in the world by the end of the 20th century.

In 1967, the first Auchan hypermarket opened near the Mulliez family’s base, in Northern France (Tourcoing/Roncq). The idea of the new retailing concept, so-called ‘hypermarket’ was to combined the product assortment of a typical supermarket with the range of goods found in department stores.

Later, in 1981, Auchan opened its first hypermarket outside France, in Spain. In 1996 Auchan becomes a multi-business group with acquisition of “Docks de France”. From then on, it continued to expand across the globe.

In 1997, Auchan hypermarket made its first appearance in Asia, in Thailand. In 1999, Auchan Hypermarket (China Group) Co, Ltd. was founded and based in Beijing. On July 18th 1999, Auchan opened its 1st store in Shanghai at the crossroad of Zhongyuan Road and Nengjiang Road, Yangpu district. In 2000 Auchan signed a partnership with RT Mart in Taiwan and in 2001 with RT-Mart in China. In 2003, Auchan opened hypermarkets in Chengdu and Beijing.

Gerard Mulliez, Auchan Founder, retired from day-to-day control of the empire he had founded, as chairman in 1996 and as CEO in 2006 (aged 75 years old) handing over control to his nephew, Vianney Mulliez.
Today Auchan is one of the world’s principal distribution groups with a presence in 12 countries and a total of 1375 hypermarkets/supermarkets (including 45 hypermarkets in China) and 262,000 employees (Dec. 2011).

♦ For even more details about the company, check Auchan Group)