Greece’s Public Power Corporation (PPC) is planning a further expansion into Romania, this time leveraging the retail model it has developed through Kotsovolos in the Greek market. The company is currently in exploratory talks with Flanco Smart Discounter, with the goal of creating an integrated commercial model that combines home appliance retail with energy solutions for end consumers — while tapping into the Romanian chain’s existing store network and customer base. PPC management’s discussions with Flanco owner Iulian Stanciu are ongoing, though no agreement has been reached and negotiations have not yet been finalized.
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PPC’s expansion into Romania
The aim is to expand the Kotsovolos brand — transformed significantly since it joined the PPC Group three years ago — into neighboring Romania. As part of this strategy, talks are reportedly underway with Flanco Smart Discounter, Romania’s largest electronics and home appliances retailer. Founded over thirty years ago, Flanco operates more than 160 stores across the country and employs approximately 1,400 staff. PPC’s ambition is to absorb Flanco’s store network and customer base into the retail arm it is building in the Romanian market.
Discussions between PPC’s management and Flanco’s owner, Iulian Stanciu, are still in progress, with no deal signed and no negotiations concluded. Any potential acquisition would be tied to PPC’s broader strategy of replicating its Greek market model abroad — bringing to Romania an integrated concept that spans green energy generation and electricity supply all the way through to practical energy-saving solutions for everyday consumers.
Who is Flanco?
Flanco Smart Discounter was founded in 1994, with Iulian Stanciu as its principal shareholder. In 2025, the company employed an average of 1,443 workers across 150 physical stores in 113 cities, posting revenues of approximately €275 million. Flanco’s scale makes clear this would not be an acquisition of the same magnitude as Kotsovolos, which PPC purchased for €200 million. By comparison, Kotsovolos recorded sales of €753.6 million last year across a total of 110 stores.
The goal would be to upgrade Flanco’s product portfolio beyond traditional home appliances to include comprehensive energy solutions — from residential solar panels and solar battery storage systems to heat pumps and energy-efficiency devices. Romania represents a particularly interesting market for this kind of retail network, given that PPC already has a foothold in the country’s renewable energy generation sector through its subsidiary PPC Renewables Romania.
