Britain's Tesco, the world's third-largest supermarket chain, raised $2 billion in debt for its Fresh and Easy grocery stores in the United States -- aiming to open three per week. Citigroup analysts said Tesco's U.S. launch could "potentially go down as a genuine turning point in the industry, possibly comparable with Wal-Mart's decision to start opening Supercenters in the 1980s."
The Economist earlier this year said: "If Tesco gambles small and wins, competitors will have time to copy it before it reaches critical mass. Placing a big bet is more dangerous, but it may be the best way to exploit a model that can be scaled up rapidly into thousands of stores across a market." Check out the Economist article for more details about the venture.
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