Tesco to sell Giraffe restaurant chain and its Turkish retail business

Tesco, the UK’s biggest retailer, was reportedly set to announce the sale of its Turkish unit and Giraffe restaurant chain in an effort to offload its underperforming businesses.

Tesco was in talks to sell its Turkish unit Kipa to Migros, a Turkish-owed retailer, Sky News reported on Tuesday

Giraffe, which Tesco has only owned for three years, was to be sold to an unidentified buyer who has existing restaurant assets in the UK.

In May, Kipa said they were in talks with Migros and Tesco but no agreement was finally reached.

Chief executive Dave Lewis took over Tesco in 2014 and has since been seeking to cut debt and sell floundering businesses owned by the grocer.

Profits sunk as the retailer lost market share to rivals such as Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury’s, with its reputation recently sullied by an accounting scandal.

Last year, Tesco sold its biggest overseas business Homeplus for £4.2bn, its first major disposal.

Tesco declined to comment when contacted by Digital Look.