Emperia Holding, one of the largest Polish FMCG retail and wholesale groups, was named the Company of the Year in the Lubelskie Region. The prize was awarded during the Regional Forbes Executive Meeting II held by Forbes Monthly and the Ministry of Regional Development. In addition, the group’s Stokrotka retail supermarket chain was named a Forbes Diamond, an award bestowed on the top growth companies in the last three years.
“For seventeen years now Emperia Holding has consistently strengthened its standing in the FMCG product market and focused on offering quality services. The distinction awarded confirms that we have succeeded in meeting the top requirements and are a leader in the sector. The Diamond awarded to the Stokrotka chain in the category of PLN 250 million plus turnover companies emphasises the robust development of the chain” – said Artur Kawa, Chairman of Emperia Holding.
The Regional Forbes Executive Meeting II is a series of 16 conferences held from October 2007 to June 2008 in all the regional capitals of Poland, devoted to the National Strategic Reference Framework and the local specifics of the Regional Operational Programmes. The meetings are attended by guests carefully selected from among the top ranking representatives of the local government and business community of the relevant region.
During the conference Emperia Holding was recognised by being invited to the so-called Forbes Sofa, an exclusive live interview conducted by the Forbes editor-in-chief with a live audience. So far the sofa invitees included among others Grażyna Kulczyk, Przemysław Koelner, Janusz Palikot, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz or Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz.
In the first half of 2007, Emperia Holding S.A. generated revenues of PLN 2.18 billion, up on the previous year by 227.4 percent. The Company’s net profit totalled PLN 50.8 million, up by 264.2% on the first half of 2006. In 2007 the Group—as a result of organic growth alone—is planning to increase sales by 10 percent (to PLN 4.4 billion) and investment outlays to PLN 85 million.
Emperia Holding is pursuing closely the strategy of consolidation of the Polish FMCG retail and wholesale market. Following the takeover in 2006 of the BOS Group of Companies (56 branches and 81 outlets in eastern and north-western Poland), in January of this year the Group incorporated Społem Tychy (36 retail outlets located in the Śląskie Region), and in May Centrum (13 retail outlets in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Region). In June the decision was taken to acquire 100 percent of shares in the wholesale companies of Sydo in Wrocław and of Alpaga Xema in Poznań. The Company is planning further acquisitions and is in well-advanced negotiations with partners desiring to join Emperia Holding.