4U sets sights on £10bn turnover in expansion drive

Retail entrepreneur John Caudwell is planning a rapid expansion of the 4U retail brand to meet his target of quadrupling the group's turnover to £10bn by 2010.

Caudwell told Marketing that the group's expansion would comprise organic growth of its existing businesses, coupled with moves into new business areas.

Although the Caudwell name will remain the umbrella brand for the group, which includes flagship business Phones4U, the 4U brand will be stretched.

Marketing has learned that two business concepts under consideration are Games4U and 3G4U.

The expansion strategy aims to put Phones4U ahead of Carphone Warehouse as the number one high-street mobile retailer. "We want people to think the only place to buy a phone is Phones4U," said Caudwell.

In a full-page ad in the recruitment section of The Sunday Times last week, Caudwell said the £415m raised last year through the sale of call-centre operation Singlepoint and Corporate4U to Vodafone would form its "war chest" for aggressive expansion, "spawning of concepts" and significant acquisitions.

"For every £1bn increase (in turnover), we will require 400 to 500 managers and four to five managing directors," said Caudwell. Appointments to be made this year will include senior-level marketers.

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