French trading company E Leclerc and the German retailer Rewe Group have established a new purchasing company, Eurelec trading, which was listed as a registered cooperative in Brussels in mid-Juneand has been granted the necessary approvals by the Polish and Austrian competition authorities.
With Eurelec trading, E Leclerc and Rewe will strengthen and develop their position in the highly competitive area of the European retail food trade, the groups said.
In the future, Eurelec trading will be responsible for negotiations and purchasing in the international retail food industry while also serving operational synergies between the retailers as part of the alliance between the two companies.
Before being called to his new role, Eurelec trading management board member, Jean-Marie Malbranke, was head of the management division at Rewe Group purchasing. The board of directors of Eurelec trading will be equally staffed from both companies, with two managers from the Rewe Group and two from E Leclerc: Jan-Peer Brenneke, own-brand managing director in purchasing & development national/international, and Jochen Baab, executive director of goods at the Rewe Group Buying.
E Leclerc and the Rewe are to continue negotiations on an international scale within Coopernic, together with Delhaize and Coop Italia, the companies confirmed.
