Stokrotka is consistently developing its supermarket chain launching new locations throughout Poland. In October alone, Stokrotka supermarkets in Olsztyn and Goworowo opened for business, and November is expected to see further launches in Poniatowa, Elbląg, Sanok and Wrocław. The chain is constantly on the look-out for new locations, both in large cities and smaller towns. The Company has a pipeline of a dozen or so locations for future investments.
By the end of this year, Stokrotka is planning to launch a number of new supermarkets, nearly half of them in towns with a population of over 100 thousand. Further, this year the chain has refurbished and redesigned several of its oldest facilities to upgrade their standard and functionality.
“We are strengthening our position in the market by means of an intensive organic growth, run in parallel with the selection of the investor for the retail business. Each month new Stokrotka supermarkets open for business in further Polish cities and towns. We are constantly acquiring new locations for our supermarkets,” said Marek Wesołowski, Mamber of Management Board and Retail Business Director, Emperia.
In late June, Emperia announced the auction process to attract an investor for the group’s retail business. The transaction covers the retail chains of Stokrotka and Delima, as well as Społem Tychy and Maro Markety, which operate among them 230 outlets throughout Poland. The deadline for the submission of purchase bids expired on 26 September. Then, the Management Board of Emperia, jointly with its investment advisor, KPMG Advisory, evaluated the bids received. On these basis several entities were short-listed, to take part in a further stage of the auction process. These include both industry and financial investors. When announcing the auction process, the Management Board of Emperia set the minimum value of the transaction at PLN 900 million. The evaluation of the bids received indicates that the company will be able to receive at least that amount.
The short-listed investors have until 7 November to prepare and submit the final purchase bids on the basis of the due diligence completed by each of them. The Share Purchase Agreement with the selected investor is expected to be concluded by the end of the year.
Stokrotka Sp. z o. o. is a subsidiary of the Emperia Trading Group. It is the keystone company of the retail business and one of the most rapidly developing retail chains in Poland. The company owns 185 Stokrotka supermarkets and 8 Delima deli supermarkets operating throughout Poland.
The supermarkets of Emperia’s retail segment are located in residential estates, in mini shopping centres, and major shopping malls. They offer from 100 to 1400 sq. m of selling space and from 4,000 to 10,000 assortment items, including food products, cosmetics and toiletries, household chemical products, and alcoholic beverages plus fresh products: bakery products, cured meats, fruit and vegetables. Local products, produced in the regions of the relevant store’s location, complement the offering.
Emperia Trading Group Outline:
The Emperia Trading Group is one of the largest and most active trading groups in Poland. It engages in retailing and wholesaling food, cosmetic, and household chemical products, facility management, and property development. Emperia has been present in the Polish market since 1990; it operates nationally and has a workforce of nearly 14,000. The coordinator of the Group’s operations, Emperia Holding SA, is listed on the Stock Exchange in Warsaw.
Emperia’s wholesaling operations are conducted by the Tradis Wholesale Group, its retail business is managed by the Supermarket Division, while the Real Property Division is responsible for its properties.
Tradis Wholesale Group engages in the distribution of FMCG products through Cash & Carry locations and Distribution Centres located all over Poland. The wide range of food, cosmetic, and household chemical products offered, attractive terms of business, cutting-edge IT and logistic systems, as well as the constant efforts aimed at satisfying client needs make it the leading business partner to over 50,000 Polish retailers. It is the objective of Tradis to become the leader of FMCG distribution in Poland.
Tradis Wholesale Group comprises companies involved in the distribution of FMCG products, and in a joint effort with other Polish wholesalers it operates franchise and partner chains of shops and supermarkets of varying formats. Tradis is also the strategic partner of Społem cooperatives and together with them it co-organises modern cooperative retailing in Poland. The franchise and partner chains operating as part of the Tradis Wholesale Group currently include over 5,200 outlets, and the 60 cooperatives working in partnership with Tradis manage over 560 outlets.
The Tradis Wholesale Group includes the following companies: Tradis (distribution of FMCG products, household chemical products, and cosmetics), Ambra (distribution of chemical products and cosmetics), DEF (distribution of FMCG products), Detal Koncept (franchisor for the Groszek and Milea franchise chains), Euro Sklep (franchise chain), Lewiatan (franchise chain), Koliber (franchise drugstore chain), and PSD which, in conjunction with Społem Cooperatives, co-organises modern cooperative retailing in Poland as well as operating the Gama chain.
The operations of the wholesale subsidiaries are structured geographically or functionally into eight regions covering the entire Poland. The companies operate in aggregate 63 distribution branches, including Distribution Centres and 44 Cash&Carry locations, of the total area of some 306,000 sq. m.
The Supermarket Division operates supermarkets located in residential estates, mini shopping centres, and major shopping malls. The retail outlets of the division offer up to 1,400 sq. m of selling space and from 4,000 to 10,000 assortment items, including food products, cosmetics and toiletries, household chemical products, and alcoholic beverages plus fresh products: bakery products, cured meats, fruit and vegetables. Local products, produced in the regions of the relevant store-chain’s location, complement the offering.
The Supermarket Division of the Emperia Trading Group comprises the Stokrotka, Delima, Maro Markety, and Społem Tychy chains. At the moment, the auction process is under way at Emperia to select the purchaser of the retail division. The closing of the transaction is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2012.
The Real Property Division is responsible for the Emperia Trading Group’s properties. It invests exclusively in supermarket, Cash & Carry, Distribution Centre, and mini shopping centre facilities. The division manages Emperia’s real properties, acquires new locations, and engages in property development.