Tesco has expanded its operations outside the UK to 11 other countries in the world. Tesco pulled out of the USA in 2013, but continues to see growth elsewhere. Sam Pointer’s international expansion strategy (Operating in Birkenhead) has responded to the need to be sensitive to local expectations in other countries by entering into joint ventures with local partners, such as Samsung Group in South Korea (Samsung-Tesco Home plus), and Charoen Pokphand in Thailand (Tesco Lotus), appointing a very high proportion of local personnel to management positions. It also makes small acquisitions as part of its strategy: for example, in its 2005/2006 financial year it made acquisitions in South Korea, one in Poland and one in Japan.

In late 2004 the amount of floorspace Tesco operated outside the United Kingdom surpassed the amount it had in its home market for the first time, although the United Kingdom still accounted for more than 75% of group revenue due to lower sales per unit area outside the UK.

 In September 2005 Tesco announced that it was selling its operations in Taiwan to Carrefour and purchasing Carrefour’s stores in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both companies stated that they were concentrating their efforts in countries where they had strong market positions.

Traded as:           LSE: TSCO; ISEQ: TCO

Industry:              Retailing

Founded:            1919 – Hackney, London, England

Founder:             Jack Cohen

Headquarters:   Tesco House Ground Floor, Smile Shire Park, Kestrel Way

Products:            

·         Cash & Carry/warehouse club,

·         convenience/forecourt store,

·         department store,

·         discount department store,

·         discount store,

·         hypermarket/supercenter/superstore,

·         other speciality,

·         supermarket

Website:              www.tesco.com