Right at the start of 2025, the European Marketing Distribution (EMD) network will once again show the additional benefits that collaboration between renowned retailers generates for customers in the retail sector: the most recent example is a new collaboration for the joint procurement of own brands in France with the Francap purchasing group Serves 10 local retailers with over 2,200 points of sale, including the French branches of Belgian EMD partner Colruyt.
This will now provide French consumers with even more attractive product ranges in the affiliated Francap and Colruyt stores – for suppliers in France, this will provide new and valuable access to the EMD trading alliance’s global sales markets.
In order to explain the dynamics for all involved actors, it is worth taking a closer look at the now networked structures. The Francap purchasing association, which has been successful in France for over 60 years, has 10 member companies that currently represent 2,215 sales outlets in France and are successful with customers with a full range, especially in local supplies.
In France, Francap is highly recognized as a reliable purchasing organization for supermarket chains such as Coccinelle Supermarché, Diagonal, G20 and Colruyt. Colruyt France, one of Francap’s largest members, already operates 102 supermarkets in the French retail market.
In addition, Francap also supplies established local supply specialists such as Rapid’ Market, Sitis, Epi Service, Votre marché, Panier Sympa, Viveco or Marché Minut’.
Together with Colruyt France, the Francap Group generates consumer sales of 3.5 billion euros.
High-performance own brands form the focus of the collaboration
The main goal of the collaboration now started between Francap and Colruyt France under the umbrella of the EMD Alliance is the coordinated procurement and marketing of high-performance own brands. Private labels are also becoming increasingly popular in the demanding French food market. The Francap Group already has a range of well-established own brands (such as Belle France, Les Délices de Belle France or Ecoprix), while EMD has the range of purchasing partners Francap and Colruyt France with their large portfolio of highly sought-after own brands EMD Eurolabel can enrich.
The collaboration between Francap and EMD relates exclusively to own-brand products: collaboration in the international marketing or procurement of A-brand products is not the subject of the collaboration.
Lots of new ideas for mutual benefit in the goods business
The networking of all the partners mentioned results in many important impulses. This applies primarily to French retail customers, who now have an even more appealing selection of very good and always inexpensive own brands at their disposal. The Francap Group contributes its combined expertise to EMD’s international product group tenders and the joint purchasing teams. The EMD itself opens up new access to the food market in France for international manufacturers of own brands – new opportunities await French manufacturers in the intercontinental EMD distribution area.
The EMD, which celebrated its 35th anniversary together with all members, partners from industry and trade in 2024, will remain the particularly reliable and cooperative contact in the international procurement and marketing market in the new year 2025.
About EMD:
European Marketing Distribution AG, based in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, has been recognized in the consumer goods industry as an efficient and powerful partner for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) since 1989. In particular, it develops and procures highly efficient and sustainably produced own brand concepts for the benefit of consumers. In addition, the EMD headquarters supports and implements global partnerships in the area of on-top contracts with the largest brand manufacturers.
During 2024, EMD announced new memberships in Germany (RTG International) and South Korea (Lotte). Woolworths Australia left the collaboration at the end of 2024.
Including the associated member Lotte from South Korea, the EMD member companies in Europe and Asia currently represent external sales of around 200 billion euros in 16 countries.
European Marketing Distribution (EMD) member companies operate in the following markets:
Belgien: Colruyt Dänemark: Dagrofa Deutschland: RTG International Frankreich: Francap Italien: ESD Italia Luxemburg: Colruyt Niederlande: Superunie Norwegen: Unil/NorgesGruppen Österreich: MARKANT Portugal: EuromadiPort Schweden: Dagab/Axfood Schweiz: MARKANT Slowakei: MARKANT Spanien: Euromadi Südkorea: Lotte Tschechische Republik: MARKANT
In addition to South Korea and Japan, associated member Lotte is also active in the Chinese, Vietnamese and Indonesian markets.