The Stonebridge Legal team successfully supported Russian retailer Lenta in its acquisition of the Molniya retail chain (Mall LLC), one of the largest retail chains in the Chelyabinsk Region.
According to the company’s press release, the deal covers 5 hypermarkets, 18 supermarkets and 49 convenience stores under the Spar brand, as well as 3 distribution centres providing operational supply to the network. The FAS has already approved this acquisition, which will be financed from Lenta’s own funds.
Dmitry Surikov, partner and head of Stonebridge Legal’s project team, said:
“I would like to express my gratitude to the Stonebridge Legal project team for the professionalism and competence demonstrated during the implementation of this landmark project for the Russian market. It is important to note the team’s ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions and offer innovative solutions, which helps us to respond promptly to emerging challenges.
We sincerely thank Lenta for their trust and for choosing us as a legal partner.”
Stonebridge Legal’s key project team: partner Dmitry Surikov; counsel Anna Venediktova; associates Stepan Morozov and Fedor Lukyanov.
Lenta is a leading multi-format grocery and FMCG retailer in Russia. The company develops hypermarket, supermarket and convenience store formats.
Molniya (Mall LLC) is a food retail chain with a historically high-quality portfolio of 72 stores in high-traffic areas in both Chelyabinsk and other key cities in the region. In 2024, Molniya’s total revenue amounted to 20.6 billion roubles with a retail area of more than 60,000 sq. m. At the time of the transaction, all stores are leased.
More information about the project can be found in the company’s press release.