Foods wholesaler Sligro seeks partner for its Emté supermarkets unit

The cheese department at an Emte store. Photo: Sligro.com

Foods and non-foods wholesaler Sligro is not planning to sell its Emté supermarkets chain as rumoured. Instead it is seeking a partner to expand its operations, Sligro Food Group said at the presentation of its first half earnings, the NRC reported on Thursday.

Sligro admits that with 131 stores and a market share of just 2.6%, Emté is too small to gain a strong market position and the best strategy is not to continue as an independent supermarket chain.

In recent weeks several supermarket groups, including Jumbo and Coop, have expressed interest in buying Emté. However, Sligro says selling the unit is not an option. Operating the wholesale and retail units at the same time saved the group an annual €15m to €20m and provides it with an opportunity to test-market products, the wholesale group said.

Sligro said it is therefore is seeking a partnership, but a spokesman could not tell the NRC what that entails. Emté’s first half revenues increased by 0.3%, far lower than that at competing supermarkets which averaged 3.5% turnover growth in the same period.

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