Group turnover is at the previous year’s level / EK shop concepts prove to be crisis-proof / number of members remains constant
Bielefeld, 01/19/2022 – The EK Group once again proved to be solid as a rock in 2021: Despite all the challenges caused by the pandemic, the trading association is achieving sales at the same level as the previous year from the 2021 financial year 19 to 21 January in Bielefeld.
“According to the current status, we got through the second Corona year better than expected. Our broad positioning as a multi-sector association with consistent specialization in the individual business areas has paid off once again. Declines in EK Fashion and EK Sport were more than offset by increases in EK Home or EK Living. This is where the retreat into private life and the home office played into our hands,” says CEO Franz-Josef Hasebrink, outlining the main reasons for EK’s satisfactory performance last year.
Retail partners who rely on EK shop concepts such as electroplus, Intersport, HappyBaby or hubo proved to be particularly resilient. In all business areas and on all channels, these customer-oriented shop concepts stand for innovative products, high profitability and, above all, for the shopping fun that shoppers miss, especially in difficult times. Here, the participants once again benefited from the added value for their customers that the concepts offer.
The EK CEO also sees noticeable growth impulses in the cooperation with other, medium-sized trading groups. “With the merger of the Baby-Plus Group into the EK entrepreneurial platform, which was initiated at the end of 2020, and the recent takeover of the majority shares in Inter-ES, we continue to consistently rely on the synergies from strong cooperation.”
Flashback to 2021
CFO Martin Richrath will then provide information on the preliminary business figures for 2021. For the EK Group, annual sales are expected to be slightly above the previous year’s level. With an expected increase of approx. 0.3% to around 2.18 billion euros, the Bielefeld-based company is satisfied, not least against the background of the Europe-wide lockdown phases, which lasted noticeably longer than in 2020.
Those responsible at EK also remain correspondingly optimistic when it comes to the annual result. “All in all, we can state that the economic situation of EK remains stable and will enable us to actively shape the market for the benefit of our retail partners in 2022,” Richrath looks forward with confidence. The volume of the distribution to the members, the key performance indicator of an association, is also at the high level of previous years according to the first estimate of the EK CFO
The number of trading partners also remains constant. A development that Franz-Josef Hasebrink does not take for granted. “Many of our dealers have had to push the limits of corporate and personal stress in the last two years. Nobody gave up due to Corona. This is backed by passion and achievements that deserve our greatest respect,” said Hasebrink on behalf of the entire EK board.
EK LIVE: Secure prospects for the coming season
At the hybrid EK LIVE, a good 250 brands from all EK business areas meet a total of 2,000 dealers over the three days of the fair. By limiting the number of visitors, consistently enforcing the 2Gplus rules and implementing the Hygiene and Infection Protection Act, which has already been tried and tested at three trade fairs, those responsible ensure that the risk of infection remains within the legal and safest possible framework.
For the most important task of an EK trade fair – to make trade fit for competition with non-owner-managed trade – the Bielefeld company offers the usual strong ranges at attractive trade fair conditions, successful shop concepts, market-related services and a lot of know-how about modern company management. For stationary business as well as for e-business.
All trade fair services are also available on the digital platform of EK LIVE: In addition to the attractive EK stock program, the ZR ranges of the industrial partners can be ordered here. Speaking of the stock program: Against the background of delivery bottlenecks, the EK buyers have ensured that the goods are available in large quantities.
In addition to the further development of established marketing concepts such as electroplus, HappyBaby or licht+concept, the trade fair team will be presenting new solutions such as the GreenChange special area in the EK Fashion business segment. The Bielefeld company also occupy the competence field of sustainability in other product ranges and show how good sales can also be achieved in the other business areas with articles that are produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
Another central topic is the practical expansion of digital services. Here the EK team provides target group-specific online marketing packages, e.g. For example, the newly developed “Window Shopping” on the multi-sector platform compravo for Google Ads and the common social media platforms.
In addition, the EK Fashion Order Days, which are taking place at the same time, invite you to discover the exclusive own-brand collections for the coming autumn/winter season. By the way, just like a short time later also in Salzburg (25.01.) and Mannheim (27.-28.01.).
Outlook 2022
Overall, the EK Group sees itself well positioned for the current year. The Bielefeld company promises to continue to focus on the successful positioning of its trading partners, especially in times of crisis. According to CEO Hasebrink, however, without stronger political support, even darker clouds will gather in the retail sky. “That’s why we’re staying in touch and will continue to explain at all levels that the retail sector needs reliable long-term perspectives in addition to the short-term provision of urgently needed financial resources. Investments in urban development and city concepts, among other things, are in demand here. And not only for the benefit of the traders, but also for the survival of our inner cities as a whole, which draw their attraction from a lively mix of trade, gastronomy and a variety of experiences. The owner-managed retail trade will play its part in this.”