Press News - Archive
06th June 2006
2nd EMD BUYERS CONVENTION IN AMSTERDAM
EMD – A REAL EUROPEAN PLAYER IN EUROPEAN
TRADING
Cooperation among EMD members
intensifies – EMD becoming more and more accepted as a
“European Player” with a uniform approach – 2nd
EMD Buyers Convention with 119 billion euro sales potential
For the second time now EMD AG, Europe’s
Number 1 purchasing and marketing organization, invited its
members’ product range buyers to the “EMD Buyers Convention”
in Amsterdam. As was the case last year, the approximately
100 buyers, who represent 19 national markets, met up the
evening before the “PLMA World Private Label” fair. Dr.
Peter Hampl, EMD AG Delegate of the Board of Directors,
makes a very positive assessment: “EMD presented itself here
very clearly as a powerful and efficient pan-European
trading player. The intensity of cooperation, as well as the
number of projects implemented jointly by the EMD members,
has increased significantly.” It is particularly pleasing
that this development is not only due to the efforts of the
long-standing members. “Our new shareholders Superunie (NL)
and Système U (F) have given important impulses and
integrated themselves into all current projects at short
notice,” according to Hampl. The strategy recommended at
last year’s convention has been a complete success too.
Accordingly, the work groups focused first on several,
selected success stories which have since been duplicated in
other business areas.
Some considerable new synergy potential
is identified and developed in the internationally composed
work groups. “The procurement of certain product categories
on a European level leads to substantial cost reductions,
thus bolstering the competitiveness of our companies,”
explains Hampl. In definite terms, the procurement of more
than 80 million litres of fruit juice, 34,000 tonnes of
pasta, 20,000 tonnes of deep frozen potato products and 24
million tubs of 2-layer desserts is currently being handled
by EMD.
The growth market of private label
products
In his lecture “FMCG Markets in Europe”,
guest speaker Dr. Oliver Koll of Europanel outlined the
success factors required to remain competitive in an
increasingly price-aggressive market environment which is
characterized by the growth of private label products. It is
of particular and decisive importance here to achieve a
critical mass in procurement. Although this is done within
EMD by consolidating the national quantities, the marketing
of private label products, which is similar to that of
branded products, is becoming more and more important, too.
Swedish shareholder Axfood, for example, is sponsoring the
Stockholm Marathon on 03 June 2006 through the EMD brand “POWERKING”,
thereby bolstering the No. 1 position of “POWERKING” in the
Swedish energy drinks market.
Expansion of cooperation with the branded article industry
Substantial progress has also been
achieved in regard to cooperation with the multinational
branded article industry. EMD and the participants in the
work groups have proven themselves as competent and reliable
partners within the scope of cross-border cooperation
concepts and are gaining more and more acceptance as a
group. In this way it is ensured that the disadvantage
facing medium-sized trading companies when compared with
international retail multiples is gradually being eliminated
and that equality of opportunity is once again being
established in the market. In the medium term, centralized
supply agreements will be reached with all multinational
branded article manufacturers.
Outlook
Hampl’s optimism continues where the
outlook is concerned: “The projects that are already running
are to be expanded and there are many others already in the
pipeline. The industry is recognizing to an ever-increasing
extent the strategic significance of coordinated cooperation
with EMD in the product area as well as in cooperation
marketing”.
The 3rd EMD Buyers Convention
has been scheduled for 21 May 2007 – once again on the
evening before the PLMA in Amsterdam.
EMD market share in
Europe 11.6 per cent
EMD has a turnover
potential of around € 119 billion and a market share of 11.6
per cent. Its more than 1,100 members from the independent
retail trade are operating in 20 European countries with
51,000 outlets in food retailing and 40,000 convenience
shops, kiosks and filling stations. All together they have a
selling space of around 30 million m2. Through
its members EMD AG is present in the markets of the
following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece,
Great Britain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Romania,
Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary.
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