The Kielce-based cooperative will significantly strengthen the group of 55 retail cooperatives working with PSD. The annual revenues of Społem Kielce total PLN 140 million.
The joint business of PSD and PSS Społem Kielce goes back to the beginning of this year. The cooperative decided to test the solutions offered by PSD in its newly launched location. The success of the trial convinced the management of the Kielce-based cooperative to extend the project to all of its businesses.
“We have been involved in internal collaboration models, limited to “Społem” partners only, since the 1990s. While at the outset there were significant benefits to the cooperative, we seem to have always outgrown each of the formats. What was missing was the loyalty of member-cooperatives and funds to support their development. Now the market processes have accelerated so much that the key issue now becomes not only purchasing goods on favourable terms but also launching new store and brand management procedures and the quality of customer service. There is no time to experiment, one needs to rely on the expertise of large chains. That is why after an extensive analysis of solutions proposed by various organisations, we have selected PSD,” says Helena Gontarz, Chairwoman of PSS Społem Kielce.
The fully-fledged collaboration is scheduled to commence on 20 July. PSD will provide retail, operational and marketing support to Społem Kielce, and the Tradis wholesaling operation will supply the chain of 32 Kielce-based outlets with goods. The full collaboration will be rolled out over a period of three months, and in September the first joint promotional flyer will be distributed.
“I am glad that the Kielce-based Społem cooperative, convinced of the strengths of our offering, has decided to embark on a full collaboration. I am convinced that we will work closer and closer as the months go by, expanding our joint project by adding new areas to it. PSS Kielce is one of the largest and most successful retail cooperatives in Poland. Together we can do a lot of good for the Polish retail sector and Polish cooperative movement,” says Małgorzata Więch, Member of PSD Management Board and Development Director.