‍A smart e-cane for the blind and an interactive role-playing game for hotels - these two business ideas won the main prizes in the competition “Generation P - Heroes at the Start”. Their authors will receive PLN 25,000 each for the development of their own ideas. The competition was organized by the Eurocash Group, which has been supporting the development of entrepreneurship for 25 years, also among the youngest generations of Poles.

The aim of the competition was to promote entrepreneurship and make it easier for young people up to the age of 26 to start their own business. The competition was held in two age categories: 16-19 and 20-26 years. To apply to him, good intentions and an idea for his own business were enough. In the following stages, the participants of the competition took part in workshops and trainings, where they could develop their projects with the support of experienced experts from the Startup Academy and mentors from the Eurocash Group. The top ten projects made it to the final.

— The jury had a difficult task. The participants who applied to our competition had really great, innovative ideas. During the month of intensive work in the workshops and during the trainings, solid business plans were created on their basis, which take into account extensive sales and marketing strategies. Working with such talented, enthusiastic young people has been a very positive experience for all of us. I am sure that not only they have learned a lot from us, but we have also learned a lot from them. After all, innovative projects are most often just such creative, extraordinarily thinking people, and not large corporations. The participants of the competition showed us that Poles, regardless of age, have entrepreneurship in their DNA. — says Luis Amaral, President of the Management Board of Eurocash Group and member of the competition jury.

Finally, the main prize in the junior category was awarded to Mateusz Drabik for the project Announcement — a smart, electronic cane for blind people. In the older age category, a team of five people won: Filip Budny, Michał Sawicki, Mateusz Szustek, Piotr Juszkiewicz and Łukasz Kawka. Their author's project Magly allows you to turn your hotel stay into an interactive role-playing game combining the real world with the virtual. The authors of the winning ideas will receive PLN 25,000 each for the development of the presented projects.

The second prize in the younger age category, amounting to PLN 10,000, went to Maksymilian Skica and his platform ZamowSzambo.pl. The team of Maciej Górski, Tymoteusz Uzarczyk, Ryszard Zawiła, Paulina Kucharczyk and Krystian Fudala won the second prize in the senior group for the UVGS project.

ZamowSzambo.pl is a platform that aggregates the offers of companies providing services for the export of sewage and sanitation. UVGS, on the other hand, is a device that allows you to disinfect food products on the tapes of store counters before they reach the customer's hands.

The six remaining teams that made it to the finals received development sessions led by the trainers and coaches of the Academy of Skills. The value of the prize is 1500 PLN.

More information about the jubilee contest “Heroes at the Start” can be found on the dedicated website: https://herosi.akademiaeurocash.com.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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

Nearly 79,000 trained entrepreneurs and their employees, 38,000 participants in stationary workshops, 23,000 participants in annual educational conferences, 18,000 people using the educational platform and 212 students of postgraduate studies and courses at the SGH. Eurocash Skills Academy is celebrating its 10th birthday. On this occasion, and due to the circumstances, it invites entrepreneurs to celebrate its anniversary online. Wojciech Eichelberger, Jakub B. Bączek, Natalia Hatalska, Jacek Santorski, Rafał Ohme and other well-known speakers and experts will give lectures for all participants of the Academy.

The lectures are addressed to entrepreneurs running independent retail stores — customers of the Eurocash Group, who run stores in partner and franchise chains organized by it. Their program is structured to provide listeners with practical knowledge and inspiration helpful both in running a retail business, but also in personal development and issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the lecture series, entrepreneurs will be able to listen to Krzysztof Łagowski and Michał Piełny (Deloitte), Mungo Keulemans (PMR), Ewa Rybołowicz (Nielsen), Rafał Ohme, Szymon Kudła, Wojciech Eichelberger, Natalia Hatalska, Marek Zubr, Nikolay Kirov, Jakub B. Bączek, Paweł Tkaczyk and Jacek Santorski. The topics of the classes are very broad — speakers will address issues related to business management in a changing world, consumer trends during and after the epidemic, scenarios for the future, inspiring leadership and motivation in difficult times or techniques for coping with stress.

“Eurocash Academy of Skills has focused on innovative and modern solutions from the beginning of its existence. For many years we have been using the Internet and new technologies in our educational activities. Online communication and content delivery tools such as webinars, Internet TV, video conferencing and e-books are well known to Academy participants. We feel that we have prepared independent entrepreneurs well for these new challenging times, providing them with practical market knowledge and access to forms of education that can be used even without leaving home for the last 10 years. These 10 inspiring lectures are our thanks to them, but also another portion of knowledge and motivation for the coming months — says Katarzyna Kopaczewska, Member of the Management Board of Eurocash Group.

All lectures and their recordings will be available free of charge to the franchise and partner networks of the Eurocash Group (abc, Delikatesy Centrum, Euro Sklep, Gama, Groszek, Lewiatan, Duży Ben and Kontigo). More information about the educational offer of the Academy is provided by representatives of the Eurocash Group network.

Lectures start at the beginning of June and will last until mid-December 2020.

Detailed lecture schedule below:

leading

Topic

term

Market and Consumer Trends During and After the Coronavirus Outbreak — Cycle

Michał Pieczny, Krzysztof Łagowski - Deloitte

How does consumer behavior change during the epidemic and what does this have to do with the functioning of grocery stores?

June 2020

Mungo Coleman, PMR

Business after quarantine. Consumer, Behaviors, Future Scenarios

June 2020

Ewa Rybolowicz
Nielsen

Consumer Trends Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak

June 2020

Michał Pieczny, Krzysztof Łagowski - Deloitte

How to run a store during the coronavirus epidemic? - practical tips for entrepreneurs

June 2020

Rafal Ohme

Neurofitness training will defeat the virus - a lecture for difficult times

July 2020

Szymon Kudla

A simple compass for difficult times. Managing a team in uncertain times

July 2020

Wojciech Eichelberger

How to deal with stress at work during the epidemic and beyond?

August 2020

Mark Zuber

How to manage a company in times of change? Summary of the macroeconomic situation in Poland and the world during the pandemic

September 2020

Natalia Hatalska

Trade and consumer after coronavirus - trends and scenarios for the future

September 2020

Nikolay Kirov

How to ensure the energy and motivation of the team in a world of change?

October 2020

Paweł Tkaczyk

Store marketing in the local community - how to stand out from the competition in times of change?

October 2020

Jakub B. Baczek

How to take care of yourself and motivate yourself and others in a world of change?

November 2020

Jacek Santorski

An Inspiring Leader in Times of Crisis and Recession

December 2020

Luis Amaral

The power of independent trade

December 2020

***

Eurocash Skills Academy for 10 years, it has continuously provided entrepreneurs with modern educational tools, substantive support and practical knowledge transmitted in an accessible and convenient way. Since the beginning of the epidemic, he has been conducting free webinars and online workshops for grocery store owners with expert advice on rapidly changing legal regulations, e.g. related to labor law (in cooperation with SKS Law Firm) or sanitary regulations and regulations related to health and safety in the grocery store. In 2020, nearly 2,000 people took part in the webinars of the Eurocash Skills Academy! In 2019, 60,000 e-learning courses were carried out on the Eurocash Academy of Skills educational platform.

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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

May 20, 2020 12:00 PM

Eurocash Academy of Skills has developed an implementation program for new store employees

In response to the dynamically changing situation on the labour market, the Eurocash Group is constantly working to support its Franchise and Partner Network Clients. As part of the Eurocash Skills Academy, the Company has just developed a special comprehensive implementation program to help independent retailers to efficiently and safely deploy newly hired employees to work. Each of the positions in the store has a specially dedicated educational and training path.

This type of implementation programs have been available at the Academy of Skills for several years. However, the current one has been significantly expanded and adapted to the current realities. Implementation programs provide access to knowledge in the field of OSH or HACCP, as well as merchandising, customer service, category management or calculation of store profitability. The educational materials were enriched with new issues in the field of management of the cash register zone and product categories and, most importantly, topics related to the coronavirus. The implementation program comprehensively discusses current legal regulations, sanitary regulations, as well as the rules of customer service and personnel management in times of pandemic.

Educational materials are available in a variety of forms — e-learning courses, videos, recordings of webinars and online workshops, articles, informational materials and e-books. Access is not limited — individual materials can be played repeatedly and at any time. The entire program is designed so that any new employee can easily go through it on their own.

— When creating training paths, we knew that in the current situation it is necessary to quickly implement new employees into the work — says Agata Wrzecionowska-Dzierba, manager of the Eurocash Academy of Skills. The current situation has meant that many of our franchisees manage to fill in the staffing gaps, which until 3 months ago was very difficult. To meet these needs, we have developed a tool that makes the new employee undergo the necessary training in express mode. The implementation program has been developed for six positions in the store (store manager, store employee, meat-sausage stand employee, fruit-vegetable stand employee, meat-cured stall manager, storekeeper), and each position has precisely defined educational activities — arranged in training paths and spread over time. The program is intuitive — you just need to log in to the educational platform and follow the instructions of the program. Last year, such an implementation program lasted 3 months, now for store managers it takes 4 weeks, and for other positions - 2 weeks. In addition to shortening the duration of the training program, it was also a challenge to adequately discuss all procedures and legal regulations related to the coronavirus. New employees need to know how to ensure the safety of themselves and the store's customers at the very beginning of their work — adds Wrzecionowska-Dzierba.

All training materials are available to registered users of the Eurocash Skills Academy educational platform. The implementation programme and all other related materials are free of charge for all Eurocash Group customers who operate stores in its partner and franchise chains. They are helped to gain access to the platform by representatives of the franchise networks of the Eurocash Group.

The implementation program of the Eurocash Skills Academy starts on May 20, 2020.

***

Eurocash Skills Academy for 10 years, it has continuously provided entrepreneurs with modern educational tools, substantive support and practical knowledge transmitted in an accessible and convenient way. Since the beginning of the epidemic, he has been conducting free webinars and online workshops for grocery store owners with expert advice on rapidly changing legal regulations, e.g. related to labor law (in cooperation with SKS Law Firm) or sanitary regulations and regulations related to health and safety in the grocery store. In 2020, nearly 2,000 people took part in the webinars of the Eurocash Skills Academy! In 2019, 60,000 e-learning courses were carried out on the Eurocash Academy of Skills educational platform.

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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

‍Eurocash Cash & Carry has prepared a shopping campaign #PomaganiePrzezFakturowanie to increase the safety of its employees and customers when shopping at Eurocash warehouses. Employees of the wholesaler encourage their customers, owners of local stores, to join the action by issuing invoices in the Eurocash Cash&Carry mobile application. For every invoice issued in the app, the company adds a 1.5l Aqua water seal as part of its support for hospitals across the country. By May 16, thanks to the action, more than 146,000 liters of water had been collected.

“We launched the #PomaganiePrzezFakturowanie campaign to give our clients a chance to get involved in real help for hospitals, which we have been running for several weeks now. A very important aspect of this activity is the promotion among store owners of secure and contactless purchases through the mobile application. Keeping you safe while shopping is a priority for us. Purchasing supplies to stores in this way reduces the time spent in the warehouse, thereby reducing the risk of spreading the virus and facilitating the work of the entrepreneurs themselves. Water will be donated to hospitals this month — says Małgorzata Obrębska, CEO of Eurocash Cash & Carry.

Any Eurocash Cash & Carry customer can take part in the campaign, who will issue an invoice for an amount not less than PLN 300 net through the Eurocash Cash & Carry mobile application. Currently, almost 12 thousand customers are registered in the application.

In addition to the water donated by Eurocash Cash & Carry as a result of the purchase action, each wholesale store adds its “brick” in the form of at least 400 liters of water. Eurocash Cash & Carry wholesalers indicate the establishments where the Aqua 1.5l water purchased as part of the action will go.

The #PomaganiePrzezFakturowanie campaign will last until the end of May 2020. The list of participating wholesalers can be found on https://hurtownie.eurocash.pl/ and in the Eurocash Cash&Carry mobile app.

The Eurocash Cash & Carry action is part of a series of initiatives undertaken by the Eurocash Group across the country, which aim to help medical personnel fighting the effects of the epidemic, as well as consumers, especially those in the high-risk group, with their daily purchases. Both the Group's business units, their employees, as well as entrepreneurs cooperating with the Group are involved in this assistance.

Among the mentioned initiatives, it is worth mentioning, among others, the action “Shopping for Seniors 60+”, in which volunteers deliver purchases to those in need throughout the country. Another initiative is material assistance for hospitals throughout Poland, implemented by all 12 Eurocash Logistika Distribution Centres. As part of the action, a total of 24 hospitals in the country received support in the form of ready meals, pastries, sweets, water and other food products. The beauty store chain Kontigo organized a #PomagamySzpitalom campaign, through which it donated hand creams to hospital staff across the country. In addition, the network engaged consumers in it by encouraging them to buy cream bricks for each online order, which were then passed on to hospitals. In total, almost all business units of the Eurocash Group and networks cooperating with it are involved in various forms of assistance in the fight against the effects of the epidemic.

***

Eurocash Cash&Carry is a network of 180 wholesalers throughout Poland, focused on serving small and medium-sized grocery stores. Their offer includes almost 5,000 products that meet the expectations of independent store owners and respond to the needs of their customers. The optimal size of the warehouse and the precisely selected assortment allow you to make purchases more efficiently. The choice of location facilitates cooperation with Eurocash Cash&Carry customers, who can come for fresh goods every day. Wholesalers create a competitive advantage for abc partner stores. It is the largest chain of stores “by the neighborhood”, currently numbering more than 8,800 outlets. Wholesale staff provide entrepreneurs with professional help, advice and support in running their business.

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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

• Eurocash Group revenues in the first quarter of 2020 reached PLN 5.92 billion, which represents an increase of 8% compared to the same period in 2019. Sales in the wholesale segment increased by 6% y/y and in the retail segment by 12% y/y.
• EBITDA (i.e. operating profit plus depreciation) exceeded PLN 126 million and was 4% higher than a year ago. Costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic charged the Group's result with an amount of approximately PLN 10 million.
• The Eurocash Group ended the first quarter of this year with a net loss of PLN 62 million (compared to a net loss of PLN 40 million a year earlier). Exchange rate differences resulting from the revaluation of lease contracts in accordance with IFRS 16 in the amount of PLN -25.5 million had a significant impact on the net result.

Important role of the Eurocash Group in times of pandemic

Almost 15% of food sold in Polish stores passes through distribution centers and wholesalers of the Eurocash Group. The scale of our business imposes an exceptional responsibility on us in the era of the coronavirus pandemic. Our activities are focused on ensuring the continuity of food supplies to stores, while maintaining the highest possible level of safety for our employees and customers — owners of independent stores and their employees — indicated Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board and Chief Financial Officer of the Eurocash Group.

— Restrictions on the movement and operation of retail outlets introduced in March have significantly influenced consumer purchasing decisions. As consumers, we began to visit stores much less often, but spent on average more there than before the pandemic. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Eurocash Group in the first quarter of 2020 was a temporary increase in sales in both the retail and wholesale segments, which cooperate with franchise, partner and non-affiliated stores. At the same time, we recorded a decrease in sales in the HoReCa segment, due to the closure of catering and hotels. We estimate the additional costs incurred in the first quarter related to the pandemic at about PLN 10 million. They were associated with temporarily higher salary costs for employees and the provision of personal protective equipment — explained Jacek Ovczarek.

Wholesale: strong organic growth

In the wholesale segment in the first quarter of this year, the Eurocash Group recorded an increase in sales by more than 6% y/y to PLN 4.36 billion. EBITDA generated in this segment reached almost PLN 114 million, which is 13% more than a year earlier.

“Positive impact on the results of the wholesale segment was the high like-for-like sales dynamics in Cash&Carry wholesalers, which increased by 8.5% year-on-year, as well as almost 16% growth in cigarette sales, mainly to large customers. These increases more than offset the drop in sales in the Eurocash Gastronomy format, supplying the HoReCa channel — indicated Jack the Shepherd.

In the wholesale segment, the integration of Eurocash Dystrybucja with Eurocash Alcohols completed last year brings positive results. As part of the Eurocash Dystrybucja format, the development of the eurocash.pl platform has also been successfully continued. 12.6 thousand customers of the Group — independent entrepreneurs running retail stores — already use it. The value of sales made through eurocash.pl in the first quarter of this year reached PLN 1 billion (compared to PLN 0.8 billion in the same period of 2019).

Detail: integration completed, investments in efficiency gains

External sales realized by the Eurocash Group in the retail segment in the first quarter of 2020 reached PLN 1.49 billion, which represents an increase of 12% compared to the first quarter of last year. Retail sales of Delikatesów Centrum in terms of LFL increased by 11.3% y/y. EBITDA of the Retail segment amounted to PLN 54.5 million and was 5% higher than a year ago.

“As a result of the completed integration of the supermarket chains acquired in previous years with Delicatesami Centrum, since the beginning of this year the retail segment is already operating as a homogeneous and centralized business. In the first quarter, we invested in promotions and communication activities common to all stores, which should translate into strengthening the recognition and competitiveness of the network and further improving efficiency — commented Member of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group.

Projects: Big Ben on his way to break-even

The Projects segment, within which the Eurocash Group develops innovative retail formats, such as Big Ben (alcohol markets), abc on wheels (mobile convenience stores) and Kontigo (beauty salons), achieved sales in the first quarter of 2020 at PLN 38 million, which is 2.4 times higher than the previous year (PLN 16 million). Due to the increase in expenditures related to the expansion of all these formats, the impact of the Projects segment on the consolidated EBITDA result in the first quarter of this year was PLN -14 million compared to PLN -10 million a year earlier.

— The largest share of the increase in sales in the Projects segment was accounted for by alcohol markets Big Ben. Their number at the end of March was 91, compared to 77 at the end of 2019. We are very close to reaching the breakeven point this year — we estimate that this will happen when the Big Ben chain will have around 120 stores. — announced Jacek Ovczarek.

According to Eurocash Group estimates, the Kontigo network will reach the break-even point with the number of about 100 outlets (at the end of March this year there were 33 of them), and the abc project on wheels will start to make a profit when it will have about 240 cars (99 at the end of the first quarter of 2020).

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 16 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.

‍The selfless help to those in need, especially in such difficult circumstances as the coronavirus epidemic, cannot be overestimated. But you can try to count it. Eurocash Group presents the first results of the voluntary action “Shopping for Seniors 60+”. 229 volunteers — employees of the Group and 18 franchisees — have already been involved in the project. During the first month of the action, nearly 2.7 thousand seniors called the project helpline asking for help.

“We are very impressed with how the action is developing and we are happy that our idea has reached the needs of the elderly. Seniors respond to our idea with enthusiasm and interest. We are pleased with the active and numerous participation of Eurocash Group employees, who put a lot of heart and energy into this project. The scope of the action itself is also increasing — at the beginning only our employees were involved, now our customers — owners of independent stores — also participate, thanks to which “Shopping for Seniors 60+” is available in more and more regions. Many franchisees of the networks organized by the Eurocash Group promote the action in their own store, and some, together with their employees, become volunteers — says Katarzyna Kopaczewska, member of the board of the Eurocash Group.

The campaign “Shopping for Seniors 60+” started on March 23. To begin with, 175 volunteers recruited from among Eurocash Group employees applied for it. Three weeks later, just before Easter, there were 229 of them. In addition to them, franchisees joined the action.

From the start of the campaign to April 17, the regional hotlines received nearly 2.7 thousand calls (the most in the Mazowieckie voivodships - 849 and Świętokrzyskie - 624). During this time, volunteers completed 861 purchase orders for seniors (the most in Świętokrzyskie Province — 212).

The rules of the action are simple - seniors call the regional action hotline number and report by phone requests for help in making and delivering purchases. The volunteer acting as part of the action, establishes a list of purchases with the senior and delivers them to the indicated address. Deliveries are free, and payment for them is given by the senior to the volunteer in cash. Volunteers make purchases in shops organized by the Eurocash Group (abc, Delikatesy Centrum, Euro Sklep, Gama, Groszek, Lewiatan).

Volunteers of the action are equipped with personal protective equipment, i.e. masks, helmets, gloves and protective suits.

The action is carried out in locations where volunteers are present. An interactive map showing the locations of volunteers is available at:

https://grupaeurocash.pl/blog/zakupydlaseniora

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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

‍The Eurocash Group has prepared a guide for entrepreneurs on the regulations and the possibilities that the law gives them in connection with the coronavirus epidemic. The e-book will be accompanied by periodic entries on the blog of the Eurocash Group devoted to the Anti-Crisis Shield Act of 31 March, as well as other solutions introduced by the Polish government.

- For several weeks, both we and our customers — owners of independent retail stores — have been working on increased turnover. Together we are doing our best to ensure that millions of Poles have access to food. Such hard work does not leave much time for other important matters such as, for example, a thorough follow-up of the next laws and changes introduced by the government for entrepreneurs. We decided at the beginning of the epidemic that we wanted to support our customers in this area as well. We regularly develop educational materials for them, organize webinars with lawyers as part of the Eurocash Skills Academy, which are used by up to 300 entrepreneurs at the same time. Now we have decided to develop a comprehensive e-book on a law that is difficult in our opinion, commonly known as the Anti-Crisis Shield. In addition to the guide already provided to our clients, we will also publish entries on our blog dedicated to individual areas of the law. Due to the fact that the situation is so dynamic, our entries will also refer to any changes and amendments, so that entrepreneurs can keep up to date with them. Creating the most favorable conditions possible for business development and introducing facilities to serve our customers is our ambition and mission, especially in such a difficult time — says Pedro Martinho, member of the board of the Eurocash Group.

In the guide for entrepreneurs developed in cooperation with the legal department of the Eurocash Group, which was sent to them, among others, through the Eurocash Academy of Skills, all types of assistance that can be used by owners of independent retail stores are discussed. It contains, among other things, information on labor law and social security contributions, the possibility of obtaining co-financing for salaries or taxes during the epidemic. This issue and subsequent changes in the law will be developed in expert texts on the blog of the Eurocash Group.

The first text devoted to the anti-crisis shield concerns exemption from social security contributions and can be read on the Eurocash Group blog available on the website www.grupaeurocash.pl/blog. The next ones will appear on the blog periodically and together with the amendments of the Anti-Crisis Shield.

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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

‍Eurocash Gastronomia, the leading distributor of a wide range of products for professional catering in Poland, has obtained the certification of the BRC Storage and Distribution AA+ Global Standard for Warehousing and Distribution, which means that the company guarantees the preservation of the health safety of food products, their legality and quality throughout the logistics chain.

Eurocash Gastronomy has already obtained the IFS Logistic International Standard certificate, as well as confirmation of compliance with ISO 22000 and MSC&ASC standards. The BRC S&D certificate at AA+ level is intended to be a guarantee for customers that Eurocash Gastronomy meets all the requirements of Polish and European food law in the processes of warehousing, picking, transport and other logistics operations. External certification also means that the company uses many self-control tools to monitor food safety and commercial quality.

- When it comes to food safety and quality, we use internationally recognized standards approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). We have incorporated them into our management strategy to build our competitive advantage on health safety and product quality. In our field of activity, there is no better solution in the world. The BRC certificate is an additional confirmation that our deliveries are safe “from field to table”, which takes on special importance during the coronavirus threat period. Today we guarantee the constant quality of food and the safety of both our employees and contractors. This level of service is not offered by any of the other distribution market participants in Poland. — says Witold Kosmala, CEO of Eurocash Gastronomy.

The BRC certificate contains the elements required by the most well-known in Poland HACCP principles and ISO standards. It specifies, among other things, the requirements for documenting the entire service process and for the ongoing verification and evaluation of its operation. At each stage of marketing, it is possible to identify where the product comes from. Hygiene and safety concerns include not only raw materials and materials, but also people, buildings and their surroundings, machinery and equipment, warehouses, transport and even waste management. Eurocash Gastronomy monitors the temperature at which food is stored or transported at every stage. The company also constantly ensures that there is no physical, biological or chemical contamination of food.

Compliance with BRC S&D, IFS Logistic and ISO 22000 standards means that Eurocash Gastronomy can immediately take action related to various threats, including COVID-19. As a result, hygiene and prevention rules have been tightened, which apply to both ECG staff and external companies.

- Despite the restrictions and changes caused by the state of the epidemic in Poland, prices in Eurocash Gastronomy have not changed, and deliveries to customers who can still provide services under the current conditions are carried out according to the established schedules. Importantly, orders in Eurocash Gastronomy can be placed remotely through the eurocash.pl shopping platform — informs Witold Kosmala.

The BRC S&D certificate at AA+ level issued by the international SGS company is valid for one year from the date of issue and operates under a system of unannounced audits. This means that the auditor can enter one of the three main warehouses of Eurocash Gastronomy at any time to check that the company is operating in accordance with the standards confirmed by the certificate.

Eurocash Gastronomy is a leading nationwide distributor of a wide range of products for professional catering, belonging to the Eurocash Group. It comprehensively serves the market of hotels, restaurants and catering. He specializes in serving network customers, gas station networks and individual customers from the HoReCa industry. In one delivery, it offers a variety of fresh products: convenience food, ultra-fresh assortment, fruits, vegetables, meat, frozen, chilled and dry products.

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 16 thousand independent stores operating under brands such as abc, Groszek, Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Euro Sklep and Gama.

‍Poles are increasingly choosing smaller stores as a destination for shopping. According to data from the Eurocash Group, which cooperates with more than 80,000 entrepreneurs running small and medium-sized stores, family establishments are doing well in times of epidemics, even after the last tightening of regulations. And although consumers are less likely to shop, they spend a lot more on them. In the week of March 23-29, the value of the average shopping cart increased by up to 70% year-on-year. A challenge for all stores regardless of the area, however, there are hours for seniors.

After a week of operation of the tightened regulations, it is clear that smaller stores very quickly adapted to work in the new conditions. Customer limits per checkout or possible queues in front of the store are not such a problem for smaller stores as in the case of large chain stores.

— Three people in a small shop, where there is one checkout for hassle-free shopping — tells Gerard Koput, owner of Groszek stores in Wronki and Wróblewo. — This is confirmed by my friends, who have slightly larger stores with two cash registers. With us, the traffic is quite smooth, without congestion but you can see that customers make larger purchases and this with less than three hours of operation of the store. Because we have reduced working hours and distributed shifts so that they do not have contact with each other at the beginning of the pandemic. And he adds: “In the last week, new customers appeared to me, who so far only shopped in discount stores and supermarkets. They appreciate the pleasant service, the absence of queues and are surprised that our compact stores offer a rich assortment and such attractive promotions.

Small shop owners, long before the government introduced the latest restrictions of March 31, 2020, took measures of their own initiative to ensure maximum safety for both employees and customers. They installed plexiglass shields separating cash desks from customers, make disposable gloves or hand sanitizers available to their customers whenever possible, promote distancing and cashless payments.

Less frequency of purchases, but more value of the cart

— There is clearly a trend of reducing the frequency of visits, that is, about 40% less than before the restrictions, while the value of the shopping cart increases by up to 70% y/y, in the week between 23-29 March — tells Jacek Owczarek, Member of the Management Board of the Eurocash GroupSo we buy less often, but more. The purchasing mission is also changing. Customers are increasingly treating small and medium-sized stores as a destination for both restocking and in-stock purchases — adds.

— For all stores, regardless of floor space, the biggest challenge is the senior's hours between 10 and 12. Then the turnover drops by about 30%, which is partially offset by the aforementioned increase in the value of the average cart. However, in order to ensure smooth traffic and the best possible level of customer service, most stores are working on how to extend their working hours, because this is the only solution at the moment — comments Jacek Ovczarek.

In the remaining hours, sales in small format stores are at a similar level as before the introduction of the last restrictions. WITH Eurocash data collected from stores cooperating with the company shows that after significant increases in sales in the weeks immediately after the introduction of the epidemic state (increases reached 100% y/y on a daily basis), now small supermarkets are recording smaller increases, not causing restrictions in the availability of goods. In the week between 23-29 March 2020, following the example of stores affiliated in the Delicatesy Centrum chain, it could be observed that the sales of medium-sized stores, on Tuesday increased by 27%, to fall on Friday by 7% with respect to the same day in 2019.

Chart 1: Sales by hours (Wednesdays: 02.04 blue vs 25.03 gray):

Source: Eurocash Group

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 16 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.

‍The Eurocash Group is launching an intensive recruitment campaign. The company is looking for employees to work in stores, wholesalers and distribution centers throughout Poland.

— We are the largest Polish company engaged in wholesale and retail distribution of FMCG products. In the current conditions, our entire organization is working on increased turnover. Our employees and customers — owners of independent grocery stores — do everything to ensure that millions of Poles have access to food. To be able to carry out this mission, we need additional hands to work, which is why we are currently looking for more than 2,000 employees. We recruit to work in our warehouses, distribution centers and stores, as well as to the locations of our customers who are struggling with staffing shortages. Under the current conditions, our priority is to ensure the health and safety of our employees. We also support our customers on an ongoing basis in the implementation of best practices — says Katarzyna Kopaczewska, member of the board of the Eurocash Group.

Who we are looking for:

• Employees of 180 cash & carry food warehouses to work at the checkout, loading goods, unloading deliveries and handling forklifts.
• Warehousemen, forklift operators and warehouse administration staff up to 15 distribution centers.
• Employees for grocery stores operating within the Delikatesy Centrum, Lewiatan, Groszek, Gama, Euro Sklep and abc chains.

Those interested in starting a job should call the special hotline at 507 001 051 (open from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 16:00), or write to pracaweurocash@eurocash.pl. After conducting the initial interview, the candidate, depending on their work experience, competence and location, will be referred to the appropriate institution.

Eurocash Group is a Polish company that has been operating for 25 years and currently employs 22.5 thousand people, which makes it the 7th largest employer in our country. Every day it reaches more than 80,000 entrepreneurs running small-format retail stores within such franchise chains as Delikatesy Centrum, abc, Lewiatan, Groszek, Gama or Euro Sklep. In total, nearly 15% of the food sold in Polish stores passes through the distribution centers and wholesalers of the Eurocash Group. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

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 16 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.

”abc na kolach”, an agency network developed by the Eurocash Group, which conducts mobile sales of food products in small towns and villages, where there is a shortage of stationary stores, has introduced the possibility of ordering a store by phone.

Customers interested in making purchases call the special hotline (+48 502 004 320) or write an e-mail to the following address: kontakt@abcnakolach.pl and finds out if mobile “abc on wheels” stores operate in his area. If so, the hotline contacts him with one of the 100 agents of the network, who, after knowing the needs and location of the customer and after evaluating his own time possibilities, comes with an auto-shop to the customer's house. Shops “abc on wheels” have their regular customers, for whom agents create schedules and routes of trips. Therefore, changing them requires the decision of the agent each time. Unlike online trading, the customer does not have to immediately declare the purchase of certain goods. The final decision can be made already when shopping in a store on wheels.

The service offered since 20 March this year covers residents of small towns and villages in 7 voivodships in which the network operates: Mazovia, Łódź, Lublin, Świętokrzyskie, Małopolska, Podkarpackie and Silesia.

— Interest in the service is growing day by day. Agents acquire clients who, due to the need for isolation, do not want or cannot leave the house. The entire sales process is carried out in compliance with the requirements arising from the state of the epidemic. We constantly provide access to everyday shopping for residents of smaller towns and villages, where there is a shortage of stationary stores. In this way, we improve their quality of life and fight exclusion. However, during the epidemic period, people appeared for whom our auto shops are the only opportunity to make normal purchases. Helpline helps you find a solution for as many people as possible — says Arnaldo Guerreiro, Member of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group.

The scale of the demand for this type of service can be provided by the record value of the shopping cart, which exceeded PLN 600. Dairy products such as milk or eggs are of the greatest interest, as well as fresh products, including vegetables and fruits, cold cuts, breads, and, in addition, drinks, dry assortment and sweets. Convenience products, including ready-to-eat dishes, are also often on the shopping list.

“abc na kolach” is the largest network of retail on wheels in Poland and a significant player in the whole of Europe. Sales are carried out with cars specially designed for this purpose. Each of them has specialized equipment, including properly prepared refrigerated counters and a freezer. Mobile stores stock up at Eurocash Cash & Carry warehouses and have access to the entire range of approx. 5 thousand products. In addition, entrepreneurs can also use the offer of regional suppliers, ordering from them, for example, bread, cold cuts or cakes. In the “abc on wheels” car alone, an average of about 500-600 products are available.

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 16 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.

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• It serves 86,000 customers — owners of small and medium-sized stores throughout Poland.
• It employs 22.5 thousand people and is the 7th largest employer in Poland. Indirectly, due to its scale, it affects the employment of additional workers and entities throughout the supply chain.
• In 2019, the total number of employees in the economy created by its activities amounted to more than 30 thousand people.
  The total value of income in the economy generated by its activities amounted to PLN 840 million.
• Its value added in 2019 amounted to PLN 4.1 billion.

— We originally assumed that our 25th anniversary would be an opportunity to celebrate our jubilee with our employees and customers. However, it happened differently. The events of recent weeks have changed the lives of all Poles overnight and the way many companies operate, including ours. The coronavirus epidemic has made us celebrate our 25th anniversary quite differently. We are all currently working on increased turnover to maintain the continuity of the supply chain. Our entire Group and our customers are working on this, without whom we would not be here today. It is they — the owners of small and medium-sized shops — who are now, like doctors and other state services, on the front lines of ensuring Poles have safe access to food and industrial products. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them from the bottom of my heart and assure you of our absolute support both in these difficult times and when everything returns to normal. Thank you for 25 years together. — said Luis Amaral, Chairman of the Management Board of the Eurocash Group.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Group, the company, for the first time in its history, published a non-financial report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) global standard. The GRI standard is an international standard for reporting non-financial aspects of a company in a given calendar year. In addition to a detailed discussion of the company's CSR activities, the “Eurocash Group Social Responsibility Report for 2019” also includes a chapter devoted to the Group's impact on the Polish economy. This analysis is based on the model of interbranch flows by Wassili Leontief, who was awarded the Nobel Prize. The model in the Group's report shows its impact on society and the Polish economy in 2019 on three levels. Direct impact — resulting from the core activities of the company; indirect — generated among suppliers and entities from related industries and induced — generated through the expenses of the company's employees and employees of related entities.

So what impact did the Eurocash Group have on the Polish economy in 2019?

Employment — for every two jobs in the Group, there is a third in the economy
Direct employment in the Eurocash Group at the end of 2019 amounted to 22,497 people. The scale of the company requires cooperation, among others, with subcontractors throughout the supply chain, which translates into thousands of additional jobs. Finally, the total number of employees in the economy created by the Group's activities amounts to 34,104 people. For every two jobs in the Eurocash Group, there was a third job in the economy, which was supported by the company's activities.

840 ml of income in the economy
In 2019, the Group paid its employees salaries (net) in the amount of approximately PLN 0.53 billion. It thus indirectly affected the revenues of other entities in the supply chain in the amount of PLN 0.15 billion. In addition, revenues in the economy increased by PLN 0.17 billion as a result of the demand impulse. Thus, the total value of revenues in the economy generated by the Group's activities amounts to PLN 0.84 billion. That's the equivalent of 373,000 monthly minimum wages.

How much Eurocash in GDP?
The so-called gross value added measures the company's contribution to building the gross domestic product. In a very simplified way, it is calculated as the value of all the goods and services produced by a given entity less the costs associated with their production. In the case of the Eurocash Group, the added value amounted to PLN 4.1 billion.