South Korea's Homeplus joins EMD (FOTO)

Pfäffikon, Switzerland (ots) -

- Cooperation will start in the private label business
- Global supply chains offer increased opportunities for growth to
the distributors and industrial partners involved - retail customers
benefit from a larger assortment variety

The European Marketing Distribution AG (EMD) welcomes a new partner: Homeplus
Co. Ltd, Korea's second largest retailer, is from now on closely cooperating in
the sourcing of private label products with the leading European associated
group. The agreement signed on Wednesday 23 January in Zürich by Homeplus' CEO
Lim Il-Soon provides also for the option of cooperation in other areas of
intercontinental cooperation.

- Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) -

Homeplus, founded in 1997, is the second largest company in the South Korean
retailer market with a turnover of 9.7 billion US dollars (2017). The Homeplus
Group owned by the Asian private equity firm MBK Partners operates currently 752
retail outlets and eight logistics centres. More specifically, the branch
network comprises 351 supermarkets, 140 hypermarkets, 261 convenience shops,
various shopping malls and bakeries operated in the checkout areas. The Homeplus
Group offers its food and non-food assortments also online and owns a delivery
company.

Homeplus CEO Lim Il-Soon about the partnership with EMD: "We cannot imagine a
better cooperation partner than the successful and worldwide well-connected EMD.
The close cooperation in the private label business opens for us new and
interesting purchasing channels in Europe with an immediate benefit for our
customers. Additional growth opportunities will also result for our South Korean
suppliers, for which new sales channels in the large distribution area of the
EMD members will be made available."

EMD managing director Philippe Gruyters also points out the considerable
advantages of a transnational trading business: "The integration of procurement
volumes in high demand brings to all distributors and industrial partners
involved higher marketing dynamics and therefore a more secure turnover. In
addition, a better and more competitive assortment offer will be created, a
result that is in the interest of our retail customers."

Through this now beginning partnership, EMD deepens its commitment in the
Asia-Pacific area, after Woolworths Australia and New Zealand joined in early
2016.

About EMD

European Marketing Distribution AG, with headquarters in Pfäffikon, Switzerland,
has been acknowledged since 1989 as an efficient and high-performing partner for
Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) by the consumer goods industries. The
associated group operates now together with its member companies in 20 countries
in the continents of Europe, Oceania and Asia.

These are the member companies of European Marketing Distribution
(EMD):

Netherlands: Superunie Sweden: Axfood
Germany: MARKANT AG Denmark: Dagrofa
Switzerland: MARKANT Syntrade Czech Republic: MARKANT
Spain: Euromadi Iberica Slovakia: MARKANT
Portugal: EuromadiPort Poland: Kaufland
Austria: MARKANT Österreich Croatia: Kaufland
Italy: ESD Italia Romania: Kaufland
Norway: Unil/Norges Gruppen Bulgaria: Kaufland
Australia: Woolworths Ltd Russia: Lenta
South Korea: Homeplus Co. Ltd New Zealand: Progressive Enterprises
Ltd

For further information, please contact:
Rosmanith & Rosmanith
The Art of Communication
Uwe Rosmanith
Unter den Eichen 7
D-65195 Wiesbaden
Phone: + 49/611/716 547 920
uwe@rosmanith.de

Original-Content von: EMD - European Marketing Distribution, übermittelt durch news aktuell