Paris 2024"Despite the challenging period, we opened 90 Carrefour stores in a year"
Paris 2024
"Despite the challenging period, we opened 90 Carrefour stores in a year"
"We broke a world record,” Electra Consumer Products CEO Zvika Schwimmer said during Calcalist and Bank Hapoalim’s business delegation to Paris. “We brought 1,400 Carrefour products to Israel in a year of which 800 are kosher. In my opinion this is one of the largest kosher projects done in Israel."
"The last period was challenging; it came after the pandemic and the judicial reform. We see ourselves as a company that provides a solution for the home front. As a company, we have basic consumer products, and in the food sector, we also know how to respond to the needs," said Zvika Schwimmer, CEO of Electra Consumer Products during Calcalist and Bank Hapoalim’s business delegation to Paris. "in the field of electricity, we see an increase in demand following the existing need in the economy. At the present time, we know how to provide a solution in the entire supply chain, to ensure that there is no shortage of anything, and also to conduct a dialogue with the international brands that we represent in Israel."
What is Electra's activity focused on today?
"Electra Consumer Products is a multinational company, it operates in the field of air conditioners and in the field of electrical consumer products. We represent a large number of brands. In the field of electrical retail we are major players with Mahsanei Hashmal (electrical warehouses), Shekem Electric, duty free operations, we have very large internet operations. We reach every home in Israel. In the food industry, we have a large chain of 152 supermarkets with the international French chain Carrefour, and in the field of sports and leisure, we also have a cooperation with Bank Hapoalim and Cal (Israel Credit Cards).”
In terms of the Carrefour chain, how did you bring it to Israel?
"When we purchased the Yenot Bitan-Mega chain, it was clear to us that we wanted to create something different in Israel. It was clear that the market was thirsty for something different, for a different standard of activity. I believe in the advantage of size; we were looking for a large international chain that could provide a solution. The market in Israel is around 15 - 16 billion euros, and Carrefour is a business that easily reaches one hundred billion euros and is active in 50 countries with 14,000 branches.
"When we made contact with Carrefour, they saw great potential in Israel, and I think that even at the product level after they tested and we tested - Carrefour products were very suitable for the market in Israel, and we see how sales of Carrefour products are carried out at a high rate, and that's how we started to have a dialogue with them about activities in Israel. And so a year ago, we opened our first stores. Let's not forget that we broke a world record. We brought in 1,400 Carrefour products a year, 800 of which are kosher. At the same time, we improved and upgraded the online service. The Carrefour brand is a brand that is known in every home, and we will open it up further; we will deepen the international experience so that it can also be enjoyed in Israel."
You brought Carrefour, Adidas, Columbia to Israel. What are your plans for the future?
"We are very focused on the business level as this period teaches us to maintain existing activities, to be the best in every category we are in. I think we have very strong foundations in Electra Consumer Products. In the food sector, we will continue to develop activity, and we are very focused on the electronic products market, in Columbia, in Adidas, and in the field of air conditioners. Along with this, we have a credit card with many customers, and it provides a real solution for the consumer. Our ability to stay focused and respond to the need in Israel, especially this year, is the goal facing us."
