June 2024
Chairman's Address
Like every year, at Grupo IFA we publish our annual activity report to truthfully and transparently share the company’s main data with stakeholders. It is a great pleasure for me to be able to report on the results of our business in the 2023 tax year, a year in which we have to highlight the great milestone of having achieved a record turnover for the group, reaching 40 billion euros for the first time.
We have achieved this by being faithful to a value-creation model that is our hallmark, a regional distribution model based on three pillars: physical and emotional proximity, promoting consumer choice through our extensive range and quality of fresh products.
The distribution model in Spain is one of the most efficient in Europe. It is very important to value our distribution - as well as its employers and workers -, which is close to consumers, regardless of where they live, to supply them with food and products of all kinds, with a quality guarantee and at the best price. Currently, there is no market in Europe with the amount of the regional operators that there are in Spain. This regional distribution model has taken off, given the fact that it has grown 8 points in market share in the last 13 years.
Another of the group’s values is to be one of the great backbones of the country, establishing population and creating employment. In this sense, the companies associated with IFA have employed 82,075 people in Spain alone in 2023, becoming the second biggest employer in the country according to the 2023 KPMG economic, social and environmental impact report. This figure increases to 134,535 jobs globally (Spain, Italy and Portugal). At IFA, we are proud to have become the second biggest employer in our country and generate shared value in both the company and society.
The value of our relationship with manufacturers.
Manufacturers have a great ally in Grupo IFA, as we are one of the main commercial platforms that offers them the most support when it comes to promoting their brands, and, for example, in 2023 the weight of manufacturer brands was close to 80%, marking a clear difference with short assortment operators who barely reach 20%. Furthermore, in 2023 we gained market share in manufacturer brands of +0.5pp vs. 2022, making us the largest commercial platform.
We are aware that the own brand option is increasingly becoming popular and gaining more weight among consumers, but our objective has always been to offer a competitive and quality proposal for consumers, and to do so we want to have the manufacturers. We work with the objective of promoting and growing your brands and products.
The value of creating impact on society
In 2023 we once again prepared our economic, social and environmental impact report in collaboration with KPMG, as part of our commitment to transparency and to account for the impact we have on society. We contribute 11,427.7 million euros to the GDP, equivalent to 0.8% of the national GDP, and for every euro of benefits and salaries paid by the IFA Group, we generate 3.4 euros in the rest of the supply chain, creating a tractor effect that puts our sector above others of great importance, such as motor vehicles and petroleum refining products.
In addition to the economic impact, we are very aware of our contribution to sustainability from a social and environmental point of view. That is why every year we develop initiatives aimed at achieving the 30 goals proposed in the 12 SDGs that apply to us due to our impact, always accompanied by our associates and making a common commitment among all to advance the 2030 agenda.
At IFA, we are proud to have become the second-biggest employer in our country, according to a KPMG report, and to generate shared value in the company and society.
We have maintained our strategic alliance with the Gasol Foundation since 2015, a collaboration that promotes healthy and sustainable lifestyle habits among children and young people, with projects such as Coach+ in places such as Galicia, Andalusia or Asturias, and carrying out actions and initiatives to curb childhood obesity and promote sports and healthy eating.
We are ending a year in which we continue on the path of growth, with many achievements thanks to the collaboration of our partners and the dedication of all the professionals that make up the IFA family. To all of you, I express my deepest gratitude for your commitment. We thus face a new year with the guarantee of being a great company that remains faithful to its value model, a guarantee of success.
Best regards,
JERÓNIMO MARTÍN RODRÍGUEZ
Chairman and CEO of IFA RETAIL, S.A.
MISSION
Three features that underpin our character
We are committed to achieving EXCELLENCE, because this is the only way of ensuring that our customers will rely on us, more and more, day by day. We are also rmly committed to INNOVATION throughout the whole value chain, always providing our customers with free choice. Our conciliatory spirit always seeks to BALANCE between the independence of our members and our shared plans, fostering happy co-existence between our local and national suppliers.
VISION
Our aims
The objective of Grupo IFA is to be the best retail group in Spain, made up of Affiliate companies, all of which are leaders in their respective regions, and supported by a head office that provides services development, innovation and added value for every component within the chain.
We have embarked upon an ambitious path that will transform the central purchasing body into a true retail group operating in areas where, together, we can offer the greatest value, without losing sight of those features that make each company within the Group unique.
Our ultimate aim is to become a true agent for change within a sector that requires impetus and balance, setting our sights on creating value and working to ensure growth and employment in our market.
VALUES
What is important to us
Grupo IFA’s values stem both from our commitment to serve society and from our inner nature.
Proximity
Our points of sale all over Spain are a good reflection of this value, and the true significance of this is complemented by our in-depth understanding of our consumers, their needs and desires.
It is also reflected in IFA’s agreements with local suppliers, especially with regard to fresh products.
Quality
We have been working hard for over 55 years to satisfy the demands of the market. This is why we select suppliers that best meet the quality standards that our customers want.
Our stores are dominated by fresh products, guaranteeing top-quality raw ingredients thanks to intense negotiations with the best fish markets to ensure the freshest of fish, with local markets to obtain recently-harvested fruit and vegetables, and with leading livestock farms in each region.
Balance
The Group’s solidity means we can balance the autonomy and management independence of our affiliate companies within a cohesive project that favours the whole.
We also know how to maintain balance between our local and national suppliers to offer our consumers the greatest possible freedom and choice in their purchases.
Variety
We are committed to responding to every need, so we o er a universal range of products, manufacturers and prices, representing everything from the most innovative of products to major brands and our own-brand.
We do this because we know that not all tastes and needs are the same, and we rmly believe that free choice is of key importance in ensuring maximum satisfaction in our customers’ shopping experience.
Innovation
Innovation has always been part of the DNA of Grupo IFA. We were the rst to develop the multiple chain and cash & carry concepts in Spain, as well as pioneering the use of bar code readers and implementation of the EDI system.
Since the outset we have supported product launches and the work of suppliers in a bid to add value within the various categories, and we are working to develop a distribution model that will meet the expectations of current and future generations.
Versatility
Our points of sale come in all sizes. We can be found both in large cities and in small towns. We have international, national and local suppliers... because what de nes us is not where we come from nor does our size, but rather a shared way of being and understanding of the nature of our work.
Trust
This is one of the values that underpins the most genuine and lasting of relationships, and we work to encourage it every day through our friendly nature and the quality of the products available.
The Board of Directors is made up of 14 Directors and a Secretary, who is not a Director. It includes a Chairman and a Vice-chairman- who are also CEO’s - and a CEO.
D. Alejandro Fernández Gonzalez
Alimerka, S.A.U.
Vice-Chairman and CEO
D. Eusebio Rubio Martín
Ahorramás, S.A.
CEO
D. Joan Font i Fabregó
Bon Preu, S.A.U.
CEO
Board of Directors
Dª. Manuela Bella Díaz Orta
Cash Lepe, S.A.
D. Manel Romero Romagosa
Condis Supermercats, S.A.
D. José Abraham Domínguez Santana
Dinosol Supermercados, S.L.
D. Roberto Tojeiro Rodríguez
Gadisa Retail, S.L.U.
D. Josep Saperas Vergara
HD Covalco S.L
D. Gregorio Gilarranz Sánchez
Hiper Usera, S.L.
D. Luis Mesquita Soares Moutinho
Modelo Continente Hipermercados, S.A.
D. Rafael Ruiz Alonso
Teógenes Ruiz, S.L.
D. Juan Antonio Gomez Pérez
Unagras, S.A.
D. José Ramón Fernández de Barrena
Uvesco, S.A.
Secretary of the Board of Directors (Non-voting member)
D. José María Martín Jiménez
Centralizaed Purchasing Commitee
The Centralised Procurement Committee is made up of affiliates and Head Office managers. It carries out the continuous market and sector analysis and has decision making power. It also provides information and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors about measures to be taken for which the Board must give final approval
D. Fernando Romero Casado
Ahorramás, S.A.
Dª. María Barrado Franco
Alimerka, S.A.
D. Joan Sabartes i Pardo
Bon Preu, S.A.U.
Dª. Alicia Pujol Martínez
Condis Supermercats, S.A.
D. Alejandro Millán López
Dinosol Supermercados, S.L.
D. Santiago Codesido Barreiro
Gadisa Retail, S.L.U.
D. Adolfo Martínez Carnero
Grupo Hermanos Martín, S.A.
D. Pere Kaiser Cozar
HD Covalco, S.L.
D. Francisco Sánchez del Arco
Hiper Usera, S.L.
D. Jaime Femenias Dols
Unagras, S.A.
Dª. Paz Fernández Vega
Unialco, S.L.
D. Juan Manuel Morales Alonso
IFA Retail, S.A.
D. Víctor Pérez Díez
IFA Retail S.A.
Our raison d'etre
Our customers are the central pillar of Grupo IFA. All our work is aimed at providing them with a better service, and this is why shoppers are choosing us in ever-increasing numbers.
We adapt our product lines to suit consumer demand, ensuring them of the quality and safety they deserve. We try to ensure that our supermarkets satisfy their consumption needs effectively, quickly and comfortably, and we run very popular ongoing promotions in partnership with our suppliers.
Grupo IFA’s commitment to new technologies also contributes to our good relationship with our customers. Our Affiliates have developed online sales channels, and have adapted their means of payment to reflect the latest trends.
All this explains the success of the “IFA formula”. According to the consultancy Kantar Worldpanel, more than one in every two Spanish consumers do their shopping in Group supermarkets. This recognition brings us the greatest possible satisfaction.
Working hand-in-hand for a better future
Grupo IFA believes in the importance of its suppliers. They are our greatest allies in developing initiatives to meet our consumers’ needs more efficiently.
An example of this close collaboration can be seen in the 614 commercial agreements that bind us, and the launch of 10 major projects related to innovation, the development of new categories, and coordinated promotional work – all of which are focused on improving the value chain.
Our objective is to continue our commitment to innovation among our suppliers and to free choice of brands and formats for our consumers, for the benefit of all those involved in the value chain, and thus society as a whole.