Press releases

‍Eurocash and Microsoft, together with their technology partners, presented a vision of the retail market of the future — “Retailer 4.0”. Technological solutions were presented to ensure the owners of independent grocery stores efficient management of their establishments, consumers high-quality shopping, and producers the best possible reach with their offer to the final consumer. More than 5.2 thousand participants of the 4th Congress of Polish Trade Entrepreneurs, organized by the Eurocash Academy of Skills, got acquainted with the vision of “Retailer 4.0” today.

So how will the store managed by “Retailer 4.0” function? What awaits consumers?

— For years, we have been consistently changing the face of Polish trade, investing in solutions from the area of new technologies, which are intended to facilitate the conduct of retail business by independent entrepreneurs — says Luis Amaral, President of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group. In 2018, we launched eurocash.pl, a multifunctional e-commerce platform for them. From this point on, the owner of a small-format store has more information about the market than the director of a large retail chain. In 2019, we went one step further and implemented eurocash.pl Market, a marketplace platform that ultimately can expand the offer of small format stores up to half a million products. We provide our customers with access to technology at the highest, global level, as well as knowledge of the market of the future. The opportunity to present the latest solutions in this area is for us the annual Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade. To talk about the future of commerce this year, we invited Microsoft — adds Amaral.

Retailer's Vision 4.0 is a range of cutting-edge solutions that allow store owners to know their customers closely and respond precisely to their needs.

- In the concept of Retailer 4.0 presented today, customers, their needs and growing expectations in the digital age are at the forefront. Retailer 4.0 is more than a vision. Already, there are many solutions available to store owners that increase customer engagement and loyalty, as well as operational efficiency. Technologies that are changing the market, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, Big Data and the Internet of Things, can already be a support for the store owner in Poland — he emphasizes Mark Loughran, CEO of Microsoft's Polish division.

“Retailer 4.0” vision — stocking

The Retail 4.0 vision addresses all areas of activity in the retail market. The tools used to improve the stocking process respond to consumer expectations and have been developed in close cooperation with retailers and companies providing technological solutions.

The owner of a small format store, cooperating with Eurocash, already has at his disposal a modern B2B e-commerce platform — eurocash.pl, which can be used both online and in mobile version. The platform allows you to instantly order products to the store also using a smartphone. eurocash.pl also provides access to knowledge about the local market, including demographic data allowing to adapt the assortment to the age structure of the store environment, rankings of the best-selling products and preview of promotional newspapers of competitors. It is also the fastest on the market, “learning” user behavior search engine, smart shopping lists, information about TV campaigns of the largest FMCG manufacturers or the ability to order products directly from an interactive promotional newsletter.

The entrepreneur running the store also has the opportunity to profile his offer to specific customers. Such a solution does not have large chains of discount stores and hypermarkets, which usually sell the same products in all their outlets. eurocash.pl Market is a marketplace platform that will ultimately give the store owner access to more than half a million products. This is the largest product offer in Poland, aimed at owners of small format stores.

Shelf in the store “Retailer 4.0"

New technologies in commerce that use solutions based on cloud computing, the Internet of Things, mechanisms of artificial intelligence or machine learning allow to reach customers more effectively. During the Congress, Microsoft assured that in the future it will be possible to analyze the rotation of products on the shelves of distinguished categories and products, which will give the opportunity to better adapt the assortment of stores to the profile of the customers who visit it. Demographic analysis and the way of interaction of individual groups with products will allow to better adapt the offer of the store to the individual needs of the customer.

Microsoft has shown a vision of a smart store that recognizes the consumer and can interact with him. An example would be a smart bookcase equipped with sensors and cameras, thanks to which the store owner will have knowledge of who has visited his store, how much time he has spent in it, but above all, what products he has chosen and which ones he has put away.

The screens connected to the racks display content tailored to the consumer according to their gender, age or mood. They allow both the presentation of advertisements or shopping inspiration, but also the display of product data or information about an ongoing promotion. They also interact with the user at the moment the user picks up the product from the shelf.

— Thanks to the mechanisms that analyze the presence of customers in the store, we are able to build the portrait of our customers even better. We can see what gender they are, but also in what mood they shop. We know exactly who touches the products on the shelves and on this basis we can better select the assortment located on them — says Jarosław Sokolnicki from Microsoft. Moreover, thanks to the analysis of purchases, we are also able to offer customers complementary products, thereby increasing the value of their shopping cart. For the first time, we have the opportunity to show such precise knowledge about the client — adds.

The combination of real-time data from store sensors (located on shelves or in cameras) and, for example, information about the local market made available by eurocash.pl, gives independent entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop a completely new approach to consumers. This information helps, among other things, in forecasting daily and weekly sales, also based on so-called planograms, analysis of consumer profiles and matching products or proposals for orders to them. Thanks to this, store owners can better understand the behavior and expectations of customers, manage the assortment in an intelligent way, increase sales or net profit and, above all, improve the efficiency of their activities.

Shopping cart full of innovations and modern checkout

During the Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade, it was also possible to see how the smart counter works. Thanks to the mat placed in it, we will know how long the products have been in the store, where they come from or what their nutritional values are. Tablets attached to the counter will allow you to order the product and come back for it at any time.

Another element that enriches the vision of the future of commerce is the shopping cart with scanner and cash register, developed by Microsoft partner Smart Cart. The shopping cart allows, on the one hand, to eliminate queues, and on the other, it allows you to make purchases without the participation of sellers, also on non-commercial Sundays. Thus, it responds to the constant availability of retail space expected by consumers.

During the Congress, the classic self-service cash register was also presented: a slim device with a kiosk function, allowing to realize additional services, such as sending and receiving parcels.

The largest independent trade meeting in Poland

The annual Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade has been held since 2016. It is the largest event in Poland bringing together representatives of independent trade. This year, Congress is focused on the future of retail. It was attended by respected world-class market experts, as well as personalities such as: Jakub B. Bączek or Martyna Wojciechowska. The organizer of the Congress is the Eurocash Academy of Skills, which runs the largest comprehensive educational and training program in Poland, supporting Polish independent retail stores. Partners of the Academy are, among others, the leading food manufacturers. The mission of the Academy is to provide owners of small format stores with access to the most up-to-date market knowledge and prepare them to implement advanced technologies in their stores. Retailer 4.0 is a store owner who not only has access to modern tools, but also knows how to use their potential wisely.

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of quickly marketable food products, household chemicals, alcohol and tobacco products. It also offers marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under such brands as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben, as well as Kontigo and Koliber.

‍Independent trade is becoming more professional. The share of small format stores in the entire FMCG market in Poland is 44%^[1]. Its value is currently approx. 128 billion PLN gross^[2]. Small-format stores over the past three years are growing at a rate of 5.0-6.0% per year^[3], only discounts are developing faster. In order to compete with them, smaller format stores need to grow rapidly and implement new technologies that will attract consumers. From September 2019, owners of small format stores throughout Poland will have access to the marketplace platform — eurocash.pl Market, which will allow them to access tens of thousands of new products that they did not have in their offer before.

— The launch of eurocash.pl Market is a big change for the Polish independent market — says Luis Amaral, Chairman of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group. “Let's imagine that until now an entrepreneur could order about 11 thousand products for his store. Now, thanks to eurocash.pl Market, their number will eventually increase to half a million. In addition to this significant change in the scope of the offer, there is another, in my opinion much more important. Discounters in Poland in most of their outlets sell the same products. On the shelves, they have an average of about 2 thousand of them. This means that they have a single, universal offer and strategy for every consumer, everywhere in Poland. However, the future in trade will belong to those who will be able to adapt to the consumer individually. This can already be seen in the growing importance of the e-grocery market and online shopping. We want to buy what we really need and when we want. eurocash.pl Market will allow retailers to create their own strategy fully tailored to consumers in their local environment. We will therefore have hundreds, thousands of such “tailor-made” product offers — adds Amaral.

e-revolution in independent trade

Let's imagine that we want to eat or buy a unique product that is not present in the current sale. Or we are fans of, for example, organic, vegan or gluten-free food. We can also be brewers and appreciate the liquors brewed by craft breweries. Usually for this type of products we go to specialized organic or alcohol stores. Now, thanks to eurocash.pl Market, we will be able to buy them in our nearest small-format store, if the store owner sees among his customers the need for such purchases. How does the platform work and what benefits does it offer? eurocash.pl Market is a marketplace platform that will directly connect producers of goods and products with about 10,000 Eurocash Group customers (80 thousand customers), operating within networks such as Lewiatan, abc, Gama, Euro Sklep, Duży Ben or Groszek. The platform will also be available to non-affiliated customers who purchase goods from the Group's wholesalers. Users of eurocash.pl Market will now be able to order products outside the current wholesale offer. These will be local, niche, limited, organic and imported food products, but also industrial products such as toys, home furnishings or household appliances.

The owner of the store, placing an order through the eurocash.pl Market, will be able to receive them in the form of direct delivery from the manufacturer or together with the order that he will receive from the Eurocash Group's warehouse. The available delivery methods will be determined in advance by the respective manufacturer.

e-changes in Polish trade

eurocash.pl Market is the next stage of implementation of new technologies in independent trade. A year ago, entrepreneurs running independent stores received access to eurocash.pl, a B2B e-commerce platform. This solution, which in addition to the possibility of ordering goods, provided retailers with access to knowledge about the local market, including demographic data, rankings of best-selling products, previews of competition newspapers or information about television campaigns of the largest FMCG manufacturers. eurocash.pl is a platform that gives owners of small format stores access to information previously reserved only for managers of large retail chains.

— Eurocash.pl is currently used by about 10,000 entrepreneurs in Poland. Thanks to the implementation of this solution, the value of sales in electronic channels in the Eurocash Group will increase by about PLN half a billion by the end of 2019, i.e. up to PLN 3.5 billion compared to PLN 3 billion in 2018 — tells Tomasz Polański, CEO of Eurocash Dystrybucja. — An event is an increase in the value of sales through the mobile channel. Last year, store owners bought goods worth PLN 350 million using a smartphone. By the end of 2019, this result will double and the value of sales will reach about PLN 700 million. I think this growth best demonstrates the changing awareness of retailers, their increasing openness to new technologies. Do we predict that by 2022 our eurocash.pl platform — only Eurocash Dystrybucja — will be used already? the entire small format market in Poland. Then the value of sales through electronic channels should amount to approximately PLN 6.5 billion. The platform will also be actively promoted and used in other wholesale units of the Eurocash Group, including Cash & Carry wholesalers, which supply, among others, the owners of abc stores — explains Polanski.

Change is impossible without education

— Observing the latest trends and following the growth of video and social media popularity, we decided to launch the TV channel AUE TV on our e-learning platform — tells Katarzyna Kopaczewska, member of the board of the Eurocash Group. — We put short e-trainings on our television on topics that are important for store managers and their employees. Users of the platform in a short and interactive form can get a pill of knowledge about, for example, optimal inventory management in the store, OSH and HACCP or merchandising in the grocery store. The platform is also a tool for the store owner to manage employee education. These are also ready-made, 3-month training and implementation paths for new employees. We are constantly expanding our online offer and soon we will also introduce webinars, audiobooks, e-books on the platform. Although we are developing intensively in the field of e-education, an important element of the Academy's activities is still the offer of stationary trainings, workshops or conferences. We also conduct postgraduate studies in cooperation with SGH, and tomorrow we are organizing the 4th Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade in Łódź, during which more than 5,000 participants will have the opportunity to listen to lectures by world-class market experts and esteemed personalities from the world of business and science — adds.

[1] PMR 2019 — total sales value generated by small grocery stores, small-format convenience stores, convenience stores and alternative channels

[2] j.w.

[3] Nielsen Retail Panel, data for the period August 2016 - July 2019

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of quickly marketable food products, household chemicals, alcohol and tobacco products. It also offers marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under such brands as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben, as well as Kontigo and Koliber.

‍The wine market in Poland is growing at a rate of about 9% per year, and its value in 2018 reached PLN 3.1 billion. Small-format stores are leading the way in the sale of this product category. Their share in this market is already 36%[1] Against 25% in 2012, Faktoria Win, which was introduced to small format stores by the Eurocash Group, has a lot of merit. In one of the grocery stores in Kielce, a five-thousandth wine rack of Faktoria Wine has just appeared.

— When we entered the market with our project, Poles consumed on average about three liters of table wine per person per year, and the main sales channel of this drink at that time were discounters, hyper- and supermarkets and liquor stores — tells Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group which in autumn 2013 made available the first wine rack with the Wine Factory logo. Today they are already available in 5 thousand stores.

“We can say that we have revolutionized the wine market in Poland. In 2012, the share of small format stores in wine sales was 25%. Since the debut of the Win Factor, it has grown as much as 36%. Recent years also show that stores of this format have recorded the highest dynamics in wine sales. In 2016-2018, this was close to 15% per year, compared to just over 3% growth recorded by discounters. And although a statistical Pole still drinks only four liters of wine a year, while our neighbors Germany as much as 38 liters and Czechs 16 liters, we are very pleased that he buys this type of liquor more and more often in a small-format store — adds Jack the Shepherd.

Faktoria Win are special racks with a wide selection of table wines, which are made available to the owners of retail stores by the Eurocash Group. Such wine racks can be found both in stores affiliated in partner and franchise chains organized by Eurocash, such as Delikatesy Centrum, abc, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep or Groszek, as well as in non-affiliated stores, as well as at gas stations or airports. The wines available on the shelves of Faktora Wine have been divided into five occasions in connection with which Poles prefer to buy wine: For a meal, For a gift, For a date, Relaxation and With friends. Each includes selected wines that differ from each other in taste, color, aroma and price. The Wine Factory range currently includes around 200 items in retail sales.

— NOur wine offer is in line with current trends on the wine market in Poland and abroad. Among other things, you can find vegan, organic and non-alcoholic wines, which are popular recently. We were also the first on the market to test the sale of canned wine — says Karolina Kulinek-Łatka, General Director of Wine Factory. An important element of our offer is currently sparkling wines, which are increasingly resorted to by Poles. Observing this trend, we decided to set aside a special section dedicated to these products within the Wine Factory's bookshelf — adds Kulinek-Łatka.

Faktoria Win develops its offer for the HoReCa industry. An example is, dedicated to gastronomy, the project Faktoria Win a'la carte. This is a selection of more than 300 exclusive wines from around the world specially designed for restaurants. Wine bars and mobile roll bars are also available as part of the Win a'la carte Factory.

—When creating the Wine A'la Carte Faktoria, we analyzed the HoReCa market and diagnosed how consumer needs are changing. The solution developed as a result of these analyzes not only supports restaurateurs in the effective sale of wine, but also allows them to develop their business. As part of the Win a'la carte Factory, we also offer wine bars and roll bars, which are part of the unfading fashion for clubs and outdoor bars. Taking into account the specifics of these places, we provide professional arrangement of space and the right assortment. Before that, we carefully look at the restaurateur's business in order to offer him a choice of about 10-20 optimal and complementary product items. Thanks to constant monitoring of sales, we are able to make adjustments to the assortment on an ongoing basis, increasing the efficiency of sales. As part of cooperation with the owners of such bars, we train bartenders and provide assistance in the promotion of each establishment — adds Karolina Kulinek-Łatka.

[1] According to data held by the Eurocash Group.

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of quickly marketable food products, household chemicals, alcohol and tobacco products. It also offers marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under such brands as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben, as well as Kontigo and Koliber.

‍In the first stage of the Eurocash Group's “Heroes of Innovation” competition, independent entrepreneurs running retail stores submitted as many as 661 ideas for innovative changes in their retail outlets or their surroundings. The largest number of applications came from the Podkarpackie, Małopolska and Silesian voivodships. Among the applicants, the most active were entrepreneurs running shops under the banner of Delicatesów Centrum and Lewiatana. The vote is currently underway, which will last until September 10.

Of all the applications received, 303 were submitted in the category “I focus on practical solutions”. In the category “I invest in technology”, 196 applications were received, and 162 entrepreneurs decided to submit an idea for pro-social activities within the “Changing the world locally” area.

- Most of all, almost 50% of applications were submitted in the category “I focus on practical solutions” — says Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board of Eurocash - Projects predominate here, which assume the purchase of equipment needed for the daily operation of the store, such as cleaning machines or bread slicing machines, as well as solutions that can expand the activity of such an establishment, such as the arrangement of a coffee corner, the purchase of equipment that will allow the introduction of catering services in the store or smoking equipment. A large number of conclusions from this category show that independent entrepreneurs are aware that changing consumer needs and expectations should also be accompanied by concrete and practical changes in the stores themselves — adds Jacek Owczarek.

Participants are happy with the changes in the competition

Independent retailers from all over Poland participate in the competition, but entrepreneurs from the provinces of Podkarpackie (167 applications), Małopolska (80 applications) and Silesia (70 applications) showed the greatest activity. The largest number of applications were submitted by entrepreneurs running stores under the brand Delikatesów Centrum (355), Lewiatana (118), Euro Shop (73) and Groszka (46). Their ideas were also submitted by the owners of abc and abc stores on wheels, Gama, or Koliber, as well as entrepreneurs not associated within any network, but purchasing from the Group's wholesalers.

- We even had the case of an entrepreneur, so far not related to Eurocash, who started shopping in our wholesale store, because he really wanted to participate in the competition - says Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board of Eurocash. - Many warm words flow to us from the participants regarding the changes we have made in this year's edition. Attendees appreciate the fact that “Innovation Heroes” will give them the opportunity to make changes directly in their stores. This shows that it was worth going one step further compared to previous editions. Our Heroes still have the opportunity to raise funds for prosocial projects, as it was in the previous edition, but now they can also submit ideas that relate to practical innovations within the institution itself — adds Sheepdog.

Building Local Engagement

Online voting on the initiatives eligible for the competition will last until September 10. Each of the entrepreneurs participating in the competition received promotional materials, posters and leaflets from the Eurocash Group, thanks to which they can notify their customers about the ongoing vote. Any store customer who takes part in the online voting and posts on the contest website a photo taken in a local store or in its neighborhood along with the information why they shop at that store, can win a cash prize. Each week there are 50 prepaid cards to be won, each worth PLN 50.

After the vote, all projects will be evaluated by a jury composed of independent experts in each of the three categories. Each category is supervised by one of the competition ambassadors. Katarzyna Dowbor, journalist and TV presenter, is an ambassador for the category “Changing the world locally”. The supervisor of the category “I invest in technology” is Zbigniew Urbański, a technology journalist and TV presenter. The ambassador of the last category - “I bet on practical solutions” - is the well-known business and social journalist Przemysław Talkowski.

The final evaluation of the proposal will consist of points for social support (the number of votes from the online plebiscite) and points awarded by the members of the jury analyzing the business potential of each of the ideas. The results of the Heroes of Innovation will be announced on September 24 at the Eurocash Skills Academy Congress. The organizer of the competition intends to reward one entrepreneur with a prize of up to PLN 100,000, and three more laureates with amounts of up to PLN 50,000. The remaining 50 laureates have a chance to co-finance their project up to PLN 15,000 each.

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of quickly marketable food products, household chemicals, alcohol and tobacco products. It also offers marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under such brands as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben, as well as Kontigo and Koliber. In order to achieve a scale appropriate to ensure the competitiveness of its customers, the Eurocash Group is also developing a network of its own retail stores.

• Eurocash Group's revenues in the second quarter of 2019 amounted to PLN 6.44 billion and were nearly 12% higher than in the same period of 2018. In the entire first half of this year, consolidated sales amounted to PLN 11.92 billion, which means an increase of 11% y/y.

• Consolidated EBITDA (i.e. operating profit plus depreciation), calculated in accordance with IFRS 16 in force since that year, amounted to PLN 216 million in the second quarter of 2019, while EBITDA before IFRS 16 increased by more than 8% y/y to PLN 126 million. Increasingly, for the first half of 2019, Eurocash Group's EBITDA reached PLN 338 million, while EBITDA before IFRS 16 amounted to PLN 160 million, i.e. 2% more than a year earlier.

• Consolidated net profit in the second quarter of 2019 amounted to PLN 47 million, while before IFRS 16 it reached almost PLN 50 million, which means an increase of 38% y/y. Accumulating for the six months of this year, the net profit of the Eurocash Group amounted to PLN 7 million, and before applying IFRS 16 it was close to PLN 16 million (compared to almost PLN 18 million a year ago).

Wholesale: strong sales and further increase in efficiency

In the wholesale segment, the Eurocash Group recorded sales growth of more than 6% y/y to PLN 4.89 billion in the second quarter of 2019, and in the entire first half of this year sales of this segment reached PLN 8.99 billion, which is more than 5% more than a year earlier.

Coupled with rising sales, further improvements in profitability were also achieved. EBITDA of the Wholesale segment for the second quarter of this year amounted to PLN 177 million, and before the application of IFRS 16 almost PLN 127 million, which means an increase of more than 14% y/y. Increasingly, in the first half of this year, EBITDA of the wholesale segment amounted to PLN 278 million, and before IFRS 16 almost PLN 180 million, which also means an increase of more than 14% compared to the first half of 2018.

“In wholesale, we achieved higher sales in almost every format. The growth was driven by sales of tobacco products, which increased by more than 10% in the first half of this year. We also achieved very good sales results in the format of active distribution to our franchisees, where we recorded an increase of more than 11% year-on-year. The decrease was recorded only in the distribution of alcohol, which is related to the change in the strategy of this business and the ongoing integration of Eurocash Alcohols with Eurocash Dystrybucja, which will ultimately translate into a further increase in the efficiency of the wholesale segment — indicated Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board and Chief Financial Officer of the Eurocash Group.

Sales realized by the Eurocash Cash&Carry wholesale chain increased by 2% y/y in the first half of this year. Due to the fact that the number of outlets in this format has not changed (there are currently 180 warehouses under the Eurocash Cash&Carry brand), the growth of LFL's sales was at the same level. The number of stores affiliated in the abc chain, which are the main customers of the Cash & Carry format, at the end of the first half of this year amounted to 8,753, which is 45 more than at the end of 2018 and 300 more than a year ago. The number of partner and franchise stores organized as part of the Groszek, Euro Sklep, Lewiatan and PSD (Gama) chains at the end of June 2019 amounted to 5,040 outlets, which means an increase of 16 stores in the first half of this year and by 138 stores compared to the end of June 2018.

Retail: Leaping sales growth through acquisitions and organic growth

In the retail segment in the second quarter of 2019, the Eurocash Group achieved more than 34% growth in sales to nearly PLN 1.5 billion, and in the entire first half of the year Retail sales increased by almost 36% y/y to PLN 2.83 billion. These increases are largely due to the consolidation of the chain of more than 180 Mila supermarkets and 25 Lewiatan stores (owned by the Partner company) acquired jointly in June last year and March this year.

“These acquisitions contributed to the sale of the Eurocash Group in the first half of this year in excess of PLN 620 million. In addition, we achieved solid organic sales growth, both to the Delicatesy Centrum franchise stores and in our own supermarket chain — emphasized Jacek Ovczarek.

In terms of LFL (for the same number of outlets), the increase in retail sales realized by Delikatesy Centrum stores amounted to 8% in the second quarter and by 3.4% in the first half of 2019.

The network of small supermarkets developed by the Eurocash Group at the end of June 2019 included a total of 1,560 outlets, including 996 franchise stores and 554 own stores.

— The integration of the retail business, i.e. Delikatesów Centrum with EKO Holding and Mila, is proceeding according to the assumptions. Step by step we are implementing all the plans and soon we will manage a fully homogeneous organization with a defined structure and processes, whether commercial, technological, logistical or personnel. At the turn of the third and fourth quarter, we will complete, among other things, the remodeling of the acquired Mila stores, which will improve the comfort of buyers. The change of the sign to Delicatesy Centrum will take place in the next step and will culminate the integration process — announced Chief Financial Officer of the Eurocash Group.

“We are pleased with the growing results of the retail segment. Both in the second quarter and in the full half of the year, we recorded a year-on-year increase in EBITDA. The growth dynamics of EBITDA is obviously lower than the dynamics of sales in this segment due to the integration of retail companies and the consolidation of Mila's results for all six months compared to one month a year ago — added Jacek Ovczarek.

EBITDA of the Retail segment in the second quarter of 2019 exceeded PLN 77 million, and before the application of IFRS 16 amounted to more than PLN 39 million, which represents an increase of 27% compared to the same period of 2018. EBITDA in the entire first half of 2019 amounted to more than PLN 129 million, and before IFRS 16 almost PLN 53 million, which is 5% more than a year ago.

Projects are gaining momentum

In the second quarter of this year, the Eurocash Group continued to develop Projects, i.e. innovative retail formats such as Big Ben, abc on wheels and Kontigo. During the period under discussion, the expansion of the chain of liquor stores Duży Ben accelerated significantly, which at the end of June this year already included 50 stores.

“The results achieved by Big Ben stores are very promising. Their sales in terms of LFL in the first half of this year increased by nearly 21%. We decided to accelerate our expansion in order to reach the right scale and break-even point as soon as possible. We are convinced that this format has a chance to repeat the success of our previous projects, such as Faktoria Win, PayUp, or the so-called Fresh Project, i.e. daily deliveries of high quality fruits, vegetables, cold cuts and meats. We also believe in other formats that offer innovative solutions for the retail industry, but also, above all, better respond to the needs of today's consumer — told Jack the Shepherd.

Sales of goods realized by the Projects segment in the second quarter of 2019 exceeded PLN 23 million (increase by 97% y/y), and in the entire first half of this year amounted to PLN 39 million (+63% y/y). The impact of this segment on the consolidated EBITDA result in the first half of this year amounted to PLN -20 million (PLN -22 million before IFRS 16 compared to PLN -20 million a year ago).

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of food products and marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben and Kontigo. In order to achieve a scale appropriate to ensure the competitiveness of its customers, the Eurocash Group is also developing a network of its own retail stores.

‍How will the consumer of the future behave? Will modern technologies change Polish trade? The participants of the 4th Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade will find out the answers to these and other questions. This is the largest event for independent retailers in Poland. The congress will take place on 24 September in the Atlas Arena in Łódź. It will be attended by world-class leaders and experts, as well as personalities such as Jakub B. Bączek or Martyna Wojciechowska. Registration for Congress will last until August 19.

The Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade is one of the most inspiring educational meetings for independent trade in Poland and at the same time the largest event of its kind, aimed at independent entrepreneurs running retail stores. Every year it gathers about 4.5 thousand entrepreneurs who run micro-, small and medium-sized businesses. This year's edition of the Congress will be held under the patronage of the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology.

— The pace of changes taking place in the modern world is becoming a huge challenge for every entrepreneur in Poland. The Eurocash Group is committed to providing independent entrepreneurs with innovative and effective tools to support doing business in this dynamic environment. The Congress, filled with inspiring speeches by renowned experts and presentations of the latest trends, is one such tool — says Katarzyna Kopaczewska, Member of the Management Board of Eurocash Group. — The event creates a space for exchange of experiences and encourages Polish entrepreneurs to introduce innovative changes in their daily work — adds.

Consumer of the Future and Retailer 4.0

According to the theme of this year's Congress: “Step into the future. The way to a modern enterprise”, innovative technologies in trade will be presented during the event. Valued personalities from the world of science and business will inspire change.

“Experts invited by us will talk about what the shopping and store of the future will look like, how to use modern technologies in trade and what consumers can expect from us very soon. Martyna Wojciechowska, a well-known journalist and traveler, will motivate her to achieve her goals and fulfill her dreams — Katarzyna Kopaczewska announces.

The Congress program includes, among others, a speech by Agata Czarnecka, Director of the Market Research and Consulting Department at CBRE. The expert will discuss how trade will be affected by changing lifestyles and growing consumer needs. In turn, Jacek Kotarbiński, economist and recognized expert in the field of marketing, will outline the silhouette of the consumer of the future, who will expect an offer that combines the online and offline world. Dr. Aleksandra Przegalińska, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, will discuss the topic of artificial intelligence in commerce in the context of opportunities and threats posed by this technology. Jarosław Sokolnicki from Microsoft will be accompanied by a presentation of the vision of the store's functioning in the future, which will be managed by a modern entrepreneur — Retailer 4.0. And Nikolay Kirov, long-time director of the Kozminsky Executive Business School, will tell about how to find oneself in the world of these rapid changes.

Live performances will be interspersed with inspiring telecasts, during which renowned social psychologist and business psychologist Jacek Santorski will talk about the formation of leadership qualities, the President of the Management Board of Life Skills Robert Krool will talk about the competencies of the future, and the potential of different generations in the company and the challenges of leaders in the new times will be presented by: Aleksandra Kostyra and Małgorzata Olšanowska from House of Skills. During the whole event, mental coach Jakub B. Bączek will encourage action.

Last chance to apply!

Participation in the Congress is free of charge for entrepreneurs affiliated in the franchise and partner networks of the Eurocash Group. For more information on applications, please contact the representatives of the Eurocash Group network. Enrollments can also be made through the educational platform www.akademiaeurocash.com.pl (after logging in). The organizers of the event are waiting for registrations only until August 19, 2019.

‍660 innovations from all over Poland are fighting for the votes of local residents as part of this year's edition of the “Heroes of Innovation” campaign, aimed at entrepreneurs cooperating with the Eurocash Group. The participating owners of independent retail stores have the opportunity to obtain a subsidy of a total amount of PLN 1 million to introduce innovative changes in their stores and around them.

The innovations presented cover as many as three thematic categories, each of which has its own ambassador. The first of them, I change the world locally, is looked after by Katarzyna Dowbor - journalist and TV presenter. This category is dedicated to entrepreneurs who are involved in the life of the local community and want to make a positive change in the environment of the store. Investing in technology is a category for people who follow technological innovations and would like to introduce the latest solutions from the retail industry in their store. The ambassador of this category is Zbigniew Urbański, a technology journalist and television presenter. The last category — I focus on practical solutions - covers projects that will improve the work in the store, and its ambassador is the well-known business and social journalist Przemysław Talkowski. In addition, projects are submitted in three financial categories — up to PLN 15,000, PLN 50,000 and PLN 100,000. A total of 54 innovations will be awarded in the competition - 1 prize of up to PLN 100,000, 3 prizes up to PLN 50,000 and 50 prizes up to PLN 15,000.

Voting began on August 1 and will last until September 10. So there is still more than a month left to really contribute through your voices to introduce innovative changes in the store close to you or its surroundings. Importantly, the concept of innovation in the “Heroes of Innovation” competition refers not only to modern technologies, but above all to solutions that respond to the needs that local entrepreneurs and their customers encounter on a daily basis.

Everyone can cast their vote once a day for a project of their choice, in any financial category. In addition, by participating in the voting you can win attractive prizes in the form of prepaid cards worth PLN 50 to use in your local store. Just upload your photo from outside or inside one of the shops cooperating with the Eurocash network on the action page and write what you like to shop for in this place.

After the nationwide voting stage, all initiatives will be evaluated by the Jury, and the final evaluation of the proposal will be the sum of points for social support (points from the online voting) and for the business potential of the idea. The winning ideas will be announced on 24 September 2019 during the IV Congress of Entrepreneurs of Polish Trade in Łódź.

Press releases on projects submitted in individual voivodships can be found in the annex.

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of food products and marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together more than 14 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

More than 160 of the largest producers of 29 categories of food products were evaluated by Eurocash Group analysts in terms of their strategy towards small retail stores. It turns out that many of them do not treat customers from different types of stores the same way. The results of calculations made on the basis of Nielsen data are just presented as part of the 3rd edition of the “Equal in Business” ranking.

- Officially, no producer of fast-moving goods in Poland downplays small-format stores, as they still account for more than 40% of retail sales. In practice, unfortunately, many manufacturers - especially the largest ones - treat this sales channel much worse than others — says Pedro Martinho, Member of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group.

According to Nielsen's Shopper Trends 2018 study, consumers shop in small stores 13 times a month. Independent stores are even more visited than discount stores, however, customers spend more in discount stores and supermarkets. That is why — according to Eurocash and the co-organizer of the ranking of the Polish Chamber of Commerce — many manufacturers prefer to keep low margins for discount stores and supermarkets. It happens that wholesale prices for small-format stores are higher than retail prices in discount stores. To a large extent, precisely because of inflated prices by manufacturers, the difference in the level of sales of the same categories of products in discount stores and independent stores can reach up to several tens of percent. This applies, for example, to yellow cheese, dried fruits, muesli and cereals, coffee, white cheese, ketchups and mayonnaise.

- Large differences in retail prices between different sales channels are disadvantageous for consumers, since they cannot shop at an affordable price where they have the closest. Therefore, we create a ranking to objectively compare the strategies of manufacturers within the selected assortment categories - says Dominik Kasperek, Director of Central Purchases at Eurocash Group. “On a daily basis, I meet with manufacturers without strategies or with those who misread the needs of the consumer or completely ignore the aspect of positioning between sales channels. As a result, we all lose — starting with the consumer, ending with the producer. — adds.

Due to the strong interest in the results of the previous editions of the ranking, the Eurocash Group and the Polish Chamber of Commerce decided to increase the number of analyzed product categories from 6 to 29 this year. In addition to water, beer, vodka, milk, juices and carbonated drinks, the ranking will include, among others, ketchups, mustards, rice, pasta, butter and margarines, yogurts, chocolate, coffee and tea. In total, the producers included in the ranking are responsible for at least 90% of sales in a given category. Depending on the product category, this market share can have from 5 to 10 suppliers. The calculations for individual companies were made on the basis of data on their most popular products, generating a total of 80% of the sales of a given manufacturer.

The company's place in the ranking is determined by the points awarded for: price level in different sales channels, sustainable distribution, market share, contribution to growth and dedicated products only for discount stores and supermarkets. In this year's edition of the ranking, price is of primary importance in the final result — 40% by weight, 20% by distribution and contribution to growth, and 10% by market share and dedicated products. The higher the position of the manufacturer in the ranking, the more balanced is its strategy towards small format stores, without favoring any sales channel.

The results of culinary producers were first made public. Eurocash analysts have shown that in the period from April 2018 to March 2019, the suppliers who treated consumers from small format stores, discount stores and supermarkets in the most equal way were: Muszynianka — water, Coca-Cola — carbonated drinks, Marwit — juices and non-carbonated drinks, ex aequo Colian and Chicory — spices, Ocetix — mayonnaise and dressings, Pegasus — mustard, Dawton and Develey — ketchups, Arc-Pole — pasta, Cross — rice, Dominic — canned vegetables, Conshurt — canned fish and Smak Górno — canned meat.

The lowest points due to the wide variation in average prices between sales channels and poor performance in the small area market were obtained by: Inex — water, Zbyszko and Suntory — carbonated drinks, Coca-Cola — juices and non-carbonated drinks, Kotanyi — spices, Develey — mayonnaise and dressings, McCormick — mustard, H.J. Heinz — ketchups, By Care — pasta, Macro K&K — rice, Maspex — canned vegetables, Branch — canned fish and Stek-Roll and Meat Shops Szubryt — canned meat. The strategies they use are clearly detrimental to consumers from small-format stores.

The full results of the “Equal in Business” ranking in the culinary group are available on the website http://www.pih.org.pl/.

‍Two types of beer have been added to the offer of Duży Ben, created by the Eurocash Group of a chain of alcohol stores, which will be available only in stores of this brand. Wheat beer “No PszecieZh” and APA “SatraPa” are brewed for Duży Ben by one of the largest craft breweries in Poland — Inne Beczki.

“We recently celebrated the opening of the 50th facility and the entrance to Lower Silesia. Today, on the other hand, we celebrate the premiere of two new beers brewed by Inne Bezuki especially on behalf of Big Ben — says Daniel Nowaczyk, brand manager of Duży Ben. The introduction to our exclusive range of beers is a response to the needs of our customers, especially those who are most demanding and looking for new flavors. They already account for about 20% of our customers. It is with them in mind that we have decided to go one step further and give them the opportunity to participate in the process of creating new products. It was they who voted on Facebook to decide their name. This is how wheat beer was created, unfiltered “No PsCiez” and APA “SatRapa”.

— It is also worth referring briefly to the taste qualities of these beers and their recipe. The base for these are regular wheat styles and APA weighted by the brewery Other Barrels. However, in addition, these beers have been refined to provide consumers with an even greater sense of freshness and freshness, especially on hot days. The “SatraPa” beer was additionally spiked at the end of fermentation, and the “No pZeciEž” has a little more acidifying malt, making it light and session. The lightness of these beers makes them perfect for summer “nicknames” — adds Nowaczyk. Beers are available in our markets throughout Poland from 19 July.

The Big Ben chain has been operating on the market since 2016. In July, the network celebrated the opening of the 50th branch and the entry into Lower Silesia. In addition, Duży Ben stores are also available in Wielkopolska and Lubuskie voivodship.

The concept aims to combine a wide range of alcohol products at attractive prices with professional advice. Entrepreneurs interested in running a Big Ben store can use the opportunity to open a store in a franchise or agency system.

The video presenting the beer production process “No Pszeciezh” and “SatraPa” can be seen here: https://youtu.be/am2HlBew-rs

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Big Ben is an innovative format of the alcohol market, created from scratch by the Eurocash Group. It is designed according to the principle of one-stop-shop: each individual store allows you to realize all the shopping missions in the category - from an evening beer after work, to unique gifts, to supplies for a barbecue or meeting with friends. Moreover, Big Ben combines elements that until now were characteristic of competitive ways of selling alcohol: the marketable breadth of the assortment, close to discount prices, expert advice known from specialty stores and an attractive system of promotions that distinguish the chain in the market.

This concept is a proposal for both new and existing Customers of the Eurocash Group, who are considering specializing in the sale of this category of products. Big Ben provides, among other things, store equipment, signage and other elements of internal and external visualization, as well as marketing support, including cyclical promotions, loyalty program and modern business management and control tools.

By joining the Big Ben network, the entrepreneur gains the support and purchasing power of the Eurocash Group, which has 20 years of experience in developing franchise networks. Independent research indicates that sales in Big Ben's own stores are on average almost 50% higher than in other liquor stores, and in terms of wine or whiskey even several times higher.

The application for opening a store under the Big Ben brand and more information about the franchise/agency offer of the chain can be found on the website www.duzyben.pl/collaboration

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Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of quickly marketable food products, household chemicals, alcohol and tobacco products. It also offers marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under such brands as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben, as well as Kontigo and Koliber

‍In response to the requests of entrepreneurs interested in the “Heroes of Innovation” contest, Eurocash has decided to extend the collection of competition applications until 24 July, until the end of the day. “Heroes of Innovation” is a nationwide competition organized by the Eurocash Group, aimed at owners of local retail stores, cooperating with the Eurocash Group. Until July 24, they can submit ideas to innovate in their points of sale or their surroundings.

From the submitted entries, Internet users and an independent jury will select the most interesting initiatives that will be financed by Eurocash. The winners will receive prizes worth a total of PLN 1 million. The innovations that are at the heart of the competition are not only the latest technologies, but also solutions for the development of the store and the facilitation and improvement of everyday shopping for customers.

- Entrepreneurs running local stores have a great insight into the needs of their customers. Both those related directly to the shopping point and its immediate surroundings. We want to harness this potential of knowledge and help local entrepreneurs turn it into business success — says Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board of Eurocash — This knowledge is a huge advantage for local, neighborhood retail store owners over centrally managed retail chains. Independent store owners are part of the local community and can improve their points of sale with the specific needs of their customers and local specificities in mind. We want to appreciate and support those who are willing to make such an effort. This is how we look for true Innovation Heroes — adds Jacek Owczarek.

The organizer is very keen to give a chance to all those who want to innovate in and around their store. The Eurocash Group also invites all interested parties to familiarize themselves with the updated regulations, available on the website of the action www.herosiprzedsiebiorci.pl. Additional information about the action can be obtained by contacting the Project Support Office tel. (22) 22 113 46 70, info@herosiprzedsiebiorczosci.pl.

Three categories and well-known ambassadors

Entrepreneurs running stores in franchise chains cooperating with Eurocash can participate in the competition: abc, Delikatesy Centrum, EuroSklep, Gama, Groszek, Lewiatan, Koliber and entities running abc on wheels, as well as retailers running independent small-format stores who made purchases at least once between March 1, 2018 and July 24, 2019 for the amount of PLN 1,000 net in one of the business units of Eurocash S.A.

Innovative ideas can be submitted through the website www.herosiprzedsiebiorci.pl from 15 May to 24 July in 3 categories, and their evaluation will be supervised by three ambassadors of the competition, who will also sit on the jury of the competition. In addition to the ambassadors, the board will consist of 6 experts, two dedicated to each category.

• In category “Changing the World Locally” ideas for change in the store or its surroundings will be rewarded, with an emphasis on innovation aimed at the local community. The Ambassador of the category will be Catherine Dowbor, journalist and TV presenter, who has been hosting a television program for 6 years in which she helps Polish families change their homes for the better.
• In category “I invest in technology.” proposals related to the use of technological solutions will be selected, and its ambassador will be Zbigniew Urbanski, a technology journalist and television presenter. Urbański has been testing the latest gadgets and technological solutions that improve the quality of life of Poles for more than 10 years.
• In the category”I am looking for practical solutions.”whose ambassador will be Przemysław Talkowski, a business and social journalist known for, among others, the “State in the State” program, will be highlighted practical ideas, facilitating the running of the store and shopping in it.

Participants of the action have a chance to obtain financing for innovative solutions that increase the attractiveness and accessibility of their store for consumers.

- In this way Eurocash wants to directly support its most innovative entrepreneurs who, thanks to the implemented solutions, can improve their business and respond even better to the real needs of customers — says Marta Gampf, Marketing Director at Eurocash Group - We encourage owners to consider what is missing in their store or its surroundings and what change can help them grow their business and respond to the needs of customers — adds.

Participants, completing the competition application, will estimate the cost of their innovative project, which should fall within one of three budget thresholds: up to PLN 15,000, from PLN 15,001 to PLN 50,000 and from PLN 50,001 to PLN 100,000. In addition to the evaluation of the implementation of the innovation, its justification will be very important, from which it should be clear how the customers of the store will benefit from it and how the implementation of the idea will contribute to the development of the submitting business.

Building Local Engagement

Online voting on eligible initiatives will run from 1 August to 10 September.

- Participation in the competition is also a great opportunity to strengthen the relationship of the entrepreneur with his customers. Whether a particular innovative idea receives funding will depend to a large extent on the involvement of local community representatives in online voting. As Eurocash, we will support the contestants in promoting their ideas in order to encourage as many people as possible to vote — says Marta Gampf. - Anyone who takes part in the voting will also be able to participate in the competition, in which there will be attractive prizes to be won. So not only the entrepreneur can benefit, but also the customer. The vote will also be accompanied by a campaign in national media, both in the press and on the Internet, including social media. Each of the entrepreneurs participating in the competition will also receive promotional materials encouraging consumers to vote, as well as informing about the rules of the competition and the prizes to be won — adds.

After the voting, all projects will be evaluated by a jury, which will evaluate the projects taking into account the number of votes and the business potential of the idea in each of the 3 categories. The results of the Heroes of Innovation competition will be announced on 24 September during the Eurocash Academy of Skills Congress. The organizer of the competition intends to reward one entrepreneur with a grant of up to 100,000, and three more with amounts up to PLN 50,000. Eurocash will reward the other 50 winners with a grant of up to PLN 15,000 each. The winners will be able to implement their ideas until October 31, 2020.

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Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of food products and marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together more than 14 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

‍Big Ben, a chain of liquor stores created by the Eurocash Group, opened its 50th store today. The new facility was launched in Poznań, on the network's home market. Apart from Wielkopolska, Duży Ben stores also operate in the Lubuskie voivodship. However, in just a week, the first alcohol market with such a sign will also appear in Lower Silesia. 51 branch of the chain will start operations in Wrocław.

— The Big Ben chain is developing very dynamically, which is proof that our way of selling alcohol has appealed to Poles — says Dawid Kula, CEO of Big Ben. When we started creating our business idea, we were aware that no one in Poland does it the way consumers would expect. Although alcohol is theoretically available at every step and at any time of the day and night, the conditions of its sale still left much to be desired. We wanted to change that and create a modern concept that will appeal to a wide range of tastes. Opening 50 stores is the best proof that we have succeeded. Today we celebrate the opening of the store in Poznań, and next Friday the entry into a brand new market. Lower Silesia was a natural order for us, because we are developing Big Ben in a cluster way. We want to build brand awareness gradually, leading expansion in neighboring regions. So after the Wielkopolskie and Lubuskie voivodships came the turn of Lower Silesia and Wrocław — explains Tower. I would also like to add that our concept is of interest to entrepreneurs from different regions in Poland. We get a lot of inquiries from Mazowieckie or Małopolska voivodship. However, in line with the adopted vision of expansion, we are opening new establishments in predetermined regions.

The Big Ben chain has been operating on the market since 2016. The concept aims to combine a wide range of alcohol products at attractive prices with professional advice. Entrepreneurs interested in running “Big Ben” can take advantage of the opportunity to open a store in a franchise or agency system.

— Big Ben is a family endeavor for me — says Joanna Szalbierz, manager of the newly opened shop in Poznań. We'll run it together with my father. The people who work on the network side are mostly young people, like me. It is they who are behind the rapid development of the network in the market. It seems to me that the combination of youth, experience and a modern idea of alcohol trading will work in our store — adds Joanna Szalbierz.

Dużego Ben's new store in Poznań is located at 23 Wierzbięcice Street, and the first store in Wrocław will be located at Hubska 78 Street.

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Big Ben is an innovative format of the alcohol market, created from scratch by the Eurocash Group. It is designed according to the principle of one-stop-shop: each individual store allows you to realize all the shopping missions in the category - from an evening beer after work, to unique gifts, to supplies for a barbecue or meeting with friends. Moreover, Big Ben combines elements that until now were characteristic of competitive ways of selling alcohol: the marketable breadth of the assortment, close to discount prices, expert advice known from specialty stores and an attractive system of promotions that distinguish the chain in the market.

This concept is a proposal for both new and existing Customers of the Eurocash Group, who are considering specializing in the sale of this category of products. Big Ben provides, among other things, store equipment, signage and other elements of internal and external visualization, as well as marketing support, including cyclical promotions, loyalty program and modern business management and control tools.

By joining the Big Ben network, the entrepreneur gains the support and purchasing power of the Eurocash Group, which has 20 years of experience in developing franchise networks. Independent research indicates that sales in Big Ben's own stores are on average almost 50% higher than in other liquor stores, and in terms of wine or whiskey even several times higher.

The application for opening a store under the Big Ben brand and more information about the franchise offer of the chain can be found on the website www.duzyben.pl/franchises

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Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of food products and marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together about 15 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep, Gama, Duży Ben and Kontigo.

This year's FMCG Market Congress was extremely successful for the Eurocash Group. The Group received a number of awards for its activities, including the Retail Business Awards awarded for the first time in the category: Business Angel for supporting Polish independent entrepreneurs. Here is the Jury's rationale for the award: “It is a distinction for a company that, building its own position and market strength, does so on the basis of partnerships with business partners, both in the area of distribution network and supply. It is extremely important for entrepreneurs to understand that only by supporting and creating more competitive conditions for franchisees and suppliers can they achieve real market success.”

As part of the Retail Business Awards, the prize in the category “Economic Innovator” was awarded to Frisco.pl. The jury recognized Frisco.pl as a company that, by introducing new solutions, concepts and standards, contributes to the development of innovation in the Polish economy, as well as creates a more friendly reality for consumers, suppliers and employees. During this year's Congress, the “Drogerie of the Year 2019" was also chosen. This was the 9th edition of this competition. A total of 16 cosmetic drugstores entered the final. All the drugstores that applied for the competition were visited by the auditors of the research company Modus on behalf of “Beauty News”. The external appearance of the establishments, their cleanliness, equipment, service and facilities for customers were subjected to verification. We are pleased to announce that the winner in the category “Medium format drugstore” was the Kontigo facility located in CH Wola Park in Warsaw.

During the FMCG Congress, awards were also presented in the “Market of the Year” competition. Every year, several hundred stores compete for this title, both by the head offices of the retail chains and the owners of individual outlets. All the markets that entered the competition were visited by the auditors of the aforementioned research company Modus, at the request of “News Handlowy”. The auditors took into account factors such as the external appearance of the facilities, their cleanliness, equipment, quality of service and facilities for customers. The final decision was made by 38 independent, experienced experts who make up the Jury.

And so in the “Market of the Year” in the category “Small and medium-sized grocery stores (up to 250 sq. m.) the prize was awarded to Delicatesy Centrum in the village of Korzenna. In the category “Best e-shop” the prize went to Frisco.pl.

The photo placed above was shared by the portal WiadosciHandlowe.pl.

Eurocash Group is the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale distribution of food products and marketing support for independent Polish entrepreneurs conducting retail activities. Franchise and partner networks supported by Eurocash bring together more than 14 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.