The IFA group increases its sales by 3% in its supermarkets in Spain, Italy and Portugal | Economy

The IFA group, which brings together the main regional distribution groups in the country, such as Bon Preu, Salvamás, Gadisa, Alimerka, Condis, Uvesco and Dinosol, closed 2021 with an aggregate turnover of all its partners in Spain, Portugal and Italy of 33,206 million euros last year, 3.1% more than in 2020, when it broke sales records during the worst year of the pandemic. In Spain, sales remained at 15,112, half a point above the previous year, according to the accounts approved this Tuesday at the general meeting of shareholders.

The growth experienced during 2020 (some companies registered double-digit sales increases) placed the regional chains as the big winners of the pandemic, a success that the firms have attributed to their proximity to the client, for being eminently neighborhood stores, and its commitment to fresh produce. In 2021, this level has been maintained, which the IFA group interprets as a sign that its proximity model “is reinforced despite the fact that in 2021 there were fewer limitations on mobility”, as explained in a statement.

The growth in billing is still greater in comparative terms with 2019, a regular year not impacted by the pandemic, and reached an increase of 25.6% in the international context and 11.4% in the national sphere.

After the incorporation in 2916 of the Portuguese Sonae MC and the alliance with the Italian group Gruppo VéGé in 2018, the group has been reinforced as an operator in southern Europe with a total commercial area of ​​7.5 million square meters and 11,065 establishments . With this, a market share of 14.7% of retail space is reached with the sum of these three markets, according to data from the consulting firm Nielsen cited by the group. In Spain, it has 6,265 stores and a commercial area of ​​3.9 million square metres, which gives it a market share of 19.7% in the retail channel and 31.7% in the wholesale channel.

In 2021, 2,186 new jobs were created, more than half in Spain. If the number of employees of Sonae and VéGé is added to the Spanish part, the group reaches the figure of 139,950 people (of which, 89,037 people in Spain, 1.5% more).

“Despite the complex scenario of 2021, with an increase in inflation due to the increase in international prices of raw materials and energy, we have successfully completed the first year of our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan”, said the director General of IFA, Juan Manuel Morales. “However, we are concerned about the increase in regulatory costs that the sector is bearing because, given its low profitability, it places us in a very delicate situation.”

The data provided by the group is of aggregate sales, to know the net profit each of the associates gives their results. The net profit of the group’s purchasing center is included in the annual report, which went from 3.2 million in 2020 to 3.3 in 2021, with a turnover of 952 million.

The group is made up of 34 members (and 137 associated companies): Savings, Peninsular Food (Alipensa), Alimerka, Bon Preu, Chain of Retail Companies (CMD), Cabrero e Hijos, Cafés Mora, Condis, Cash Lepe, Comercial Piedra Trujillo , National Trade Company (Conaco), Dinosol Supermarkets, Ecos Manchegos (Ecomansa), Franco-Mor, Gadisa Retail, Grupo MAS, HD Covalco, Hermanos Ayala Sousa, Hiper Usera, Ibercudis, José Bernabeu Pic, Moya Saus e Hijos, Román García Romo, Sánchez Vázquez Hermanos, Sonae MC, Food Surfaces (Sorli), Scaber (E. Leclerc), Bolaños Supermarkets, Dani Supermarkets, Teógenes Ruiz, Unagras, Uvesco, Spanish Retail Union (Unide) and Vicente Alonso.