Carrefour Snapshot
At the junction of groceries, merchandise, and services, you'll find Carrefour (which means "crossroads"). The world's second-largest retailer (behind Wal-Mart), Carrefour operates more than 15,600 stores under various banners, including hypermarkets (Carrefour), supermarkets (Carrefour Market, formerly Champion), convenience stores (City, Express), and cash-and-carry outlets (Promocash) in about 35 countries in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. France, with more than 5,400 Carrefour stores, accounts for some 40% of the retailer's sales. Carrefour secured its spot as the #1 European retailer when it merged with food retailer Promodès and raised its banner over those stores.