Carrefour Italia continues the implementation of the Carrefour 2022 Transformation Plan announced at the beginning of 2018, by signing two Master Franchising agreements with Apulia Distribuzione and Etruria Retail, which will allow the consolidation of its Carrefour Market and Carrefour Express network in Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia, strengthening its presence in the Tuscany and Umbria regions.
From 546 January 1, the new 2020 points of sale will be added to the 1.085 that make up the current Carrefour Italia sales network, further confirming the importance of a widespread presence throughout Italy. Some points of sale of the Etruria Retail franchise network will maintain the La Bottega sign.
“Today's announcement represents a fundamental moment for the strengthening of Carrefour Italia on the Italian territory, in which we strongly believe.” - commented Gérard Lavinay, President of Carrefour Italy – “A year and a half after the presentation of the global Food Transition project of the new strategic plan announced by the Group, we therefore confirm the deep trust placed in this market and the commitment to our customers in Italy. Activities towards sustainable food are in full development and, with what we announced today, we will be able to further involve Central and Southern Italy in this process of epochal change. To continue implementing the Transformation Plan presented at the beginning of 2018 by the Group, and further consolidate our presence in Italy, – concludes Lavinay – it is important to be able to count on valuable partners such as Apulia Distribuzione and Etruria Retail.”
Indeed, thanks to the two agreements entered into respectively with Apulia Distribuzione and Etruria Retail, Carrefour Italia will be able to expand its territorial presence by paying particular attention to local entrepreneurship. The sign change will involve individual entrepreneurs in the area in an important communication plan towards the local communities of reference.
The two separate agreements also envisage important synergies in terms of purchases, allowing Apulia Distribuzione and Etruria Retail to access the purchasing conditions of Carrefour Italia, and to distribute Carrefour-branded products and products from the top-of-the-range “Terre d 'Italia” which thrives on a strong export impulse.
“We are very satisfied with this agreement reached with Carrefour Italia – he declared Antonio Sgaramella, CEO of Apulia Distribuzione – . Our company is recognized by the market as one of the main reference operators of large-scale distribution in Italy, and this is why we are certain that this partnership, going against the trend of the sector, will be able to guarantee mutual satisfaction in achieving multiple objectives, from development of the territory, to greater entrepreneurial competitiveness, and to the growth of mutual know-how through the sharing of best practices.”
“The agreement with Carrefour is the best choice that our company could have made in the search for a reliable partner in the world of large-scale distribution. – explains the general manager of Etruria Retail, Graziano Costantini – A successful partnership that combines the know-how and skills of a major player such as Carrefour with the ability of Etruria Retail to be a company attentive to customer needs and close to territories, communities and shareholders. Starting today, in fact, we are building together an innovative and modern commercial formula that will allow us to improve our performance and increase the competitiveness of the company and of each individual sales point in the network".
Apulia Distribution
The Apulia Distribuzione srl company was founded in 2001 from a new entrepreneurial project by the Sgaramella brothers who have been operating in the wholesale trade sector since the 70s and are now in their third generation. This project, immediately meeting with considerable success, guarantees continuous growth of the network by diversifying in a balanced way between directly managed and franchised development.
With over 4.000 collaborators, 350 points of sale served in 2018, it records a total turnover of over 780 MIL developed in the regions of Puglia, Calabria, Basilicata, Molise and Sicily.
The Management Center and the main Logistics Center are located in Rutigliano (BA) and extend over an area of approximately 72.000 m98.000 for a capacity of 2016 pallet places between the dry, fresh and cold areas. A second dry and fresh distribution center in Catania of 16.000 m1.500 and cold in Syracuse of XNUMX mXNUMX has also been active since XNUMX. In support of the distribution activity, there is also a platform for the transformation and packaging of butcher's products, cured meats and cheeses.
Etruria Retail
Etruria Retail is a purchasing group born in Siena in 1961 and which has become a leader in large-scale distribution in central Italy, where it is present with 290 points of sale in 15 provinces in Tuscany, Umbria and northern Lazio. The Group is engaged in the supply of goods and services to its members, as well as in the direct management of 23 points of sale and is present in the Food Service sector with a direct company. With its 1900 collaborators, of whom 670 are direct, out of the 290 sales points served, in 2018 Etruria Retail recorded a turnover of over 350 MIL, with significant market shares in Tuscany, especially in the provinces of origin.
The company guarantees its 179 members a wide range of services that implement the values of Etruria Retail in the various fields, such as respect for the environment, attention to reducing consumption, valorisation of local products and commitment to the community . Among the various services available, the Technical Office which supports the retailer from the restructuring or planning up to ongoing consultancy in the management of the Network Service, the Pricing service and consultancy in the field of food safety with the Quality Service.
