German retailer Edeka has posted a 2.5% increase in sales, to €49.6 billion, for full-year 2016, according to a statement posted on the retailer's website.
Edeka chief executive Markus Mosa praised the input of the group's 4,000 independent merchants in contributing to this growth, by posting a sales increase of 3.8%, ahead of the industry average.
"The Edeka merchants are and remain the key to our success," said Mosa, praising said merchants' ability to "constantly create new shopping experiences". Edeka's independent merchants boast approximately 5,900 medium-sized markets between them.
Kaiser's Tengelmann
Mosa also noted that the most recent financial year saw the integration of the Kaiser's Tengelmann business into Edeka, with 335 branches in Bavaria, Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia integrated into the group.
"We offer [Kaiser's Tengelmann] employees long-term security in their jobs and real prospects for the future," he commented, adding that the newly acquired stores will be converted to "contemporary Edeka concepts".
One of the focuses of the current year is the development of the partnership with Hamburg-based drugstore chain Budni, following the signing of a long-term partnership in February of this year. Mosa hailed Budni as an "ideal partner in the drugstore segment" that can help to fulfil Edeka's goals in this area.
Edeka plans to invest around €1.9 billion in improving infrastructure around its store estate over the coming year.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
