Superottica in Brazil

The challenge facing the Superottica group will continue throughout 2004. Its aim is to make itself known at national and international level through important investments and joint ventures, the most recent of which was signed with the Brazilian group, Aespecialista, the country's oldest distribution chain for ophthalmic products.

The ambitious project that involves the Santorso and the Brazilian group (which currently has 10 outlets in the San Paolo area) envisages the opening of 10 new stores over the next twelve months and a total of 100 new outlets over the next five years.

After the recent opening of an outlet inside the Millennium Center at Rovereto (Trento), the summer of 2004 will see the renovation of the first and 'historical' Superottica outlet at the Ponte Alto Center in Vicenza. Next fall, a new store will be inaugurated at Desenzano (Brescia), a strategic locality that will allow the group to enter the all-important consumer area of lower Garda.

Lastly, the new purchasing group, Ottici Professionisti, is also due to start up in the second half of 2004.