German-based cooperative EK Retail helps its partners negotiate favourable purchasing conditions and improve their visibility
IFA International spoke with the cooperative’s CEO, Jochen Pohle, who outlined some of the services that EK Retail provides and explained just how important IFA Berlin is as a gathering point for both existing and future partners.
What are EK Retail’s main objectives at IFA this year?
We are meeting our retail partners and getting to know new retailers. The same applies to the industry side. This is a chance to visit both our suppliers and dealers. Of course, we also have a lot to share about EK Retail itself, especially with regards to our electroplus küchenplus concept.
What does EK Retail’s exclusive service at IFA offer retailers?
We have once again put together an “all-around carefree package” for our retail partners. This includes reserved hotel rooms, shuttle transfers and centrally organised visits to our industry partners. We are also organising participation in IFA events and the evening retailer events. This allows our retailers to concentrate fully on the trade fair.
As an international service provider for the retail trade, we support our approximately 4,000 retail partners in Europe as a purchasing association, marketing organisation and competence network.
How do members benefit from working with EK Retail?
As an international service provider for the retail trade, we support our approximately 4,000 retail partners in Europe as a purchasing association, marketing organisation and competence network. We offer them everything they need to be successful in a constantly changing market environment. We negotiate favourable purchasing conditions for our retailers, but also help with professional offline and online marketing to increase their visibility and reach.
What current campaigns is EK Retail working on with suppliers?
Together with Liebherr, we have just successfully completed our electroplus mega campaign under the slogan “Long live freshness.” The campaign addresses the topic of food waste. Our team is already working on the next campaign, which will be launched in the autumn. This will also be developed in cooperation with one of our industry partners. We don’t yet want to reveal who this is and what the new campaign is all about, but what we can says is that this campaign will once again offer great added value for our retailers and their customers.
What are some of the key trends impacting the retail sector? How is EK Retail integrating these trends into its strategy?
The shopping experience at the POS remains crucial. We have been doing very well here for years with our store design, which we continue to develop. It is crucial for our retailers to emphasise their entrepreneurial personality and differentiate themselves from large chain stores and online-only providers through individual advice and service expertise.
What is EK Retail doing to make sustainability a priority?
The topic of ESG is firmly anchored in EK Retail’s corporate strategy. One of our most important goals is to establish retail as a synonym for sustainable shopping in the minds of consumers. One current example is our “repair & care” initiative for the electrical industry. Together with selected service partners, we are presenting our dealers with a range of services that are increasingly in demand from consumers. These include warranty insurance, spare parts, repair services and reusable transport packaging.
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