The interview
“Seb Group has a retail network of 1,057 stores in 43 countries”
After 15 years at Decathlon, Géraud d’Adhemar has taken the rudder at Seb Group’s retail arm.
On the back of the industrial business, the Seb Group (the owner of brands like Seb, Rowenta, Krups, Tefal, Moulinex and Calor) has built a network of 1,057 global stores. Sophie Baqué interviewed Géraud d’Adhemar, the Retail Director.
Sophie Baqué: Can you showcase Seb Group’s business?
Géraud d’Adhemar: Seb Group was created in 1857. It is the world’s largest manufacturer of small home electrical appliances, with annual sales of € 4.16 billion, a rise of 2.5% in 2013. Between 2007 and 2013, the turnover jumped by 45%. We are listed on the French Stock Exchange. The Lescure family and affiliates are majority shareholders with a 42.6% stake. Seb has 29 factories in 10 countries and runs 1,057 stores in 43 countries.
Sophie Baqué: What are your brands?
Géraud d’Adhemar: Seb Group’s portfolio has more than 20 brands including Seb, Rowenta, Krups, Tefal, Moulinex, Lagostina and Calor. Our products focus on 3 categories: cookware (pots& pans), electrical kitchen products (food processors & coffee makers) and products for personal care and home (epilators, clothes irons, vacuum cleaners).
Sophie Baqué: Where are the Seb Group stores?
Géraud d’Adhemar: We have 672 stores in China (Supor Life Stores brand), 172 in Turkey (Tefal banner), 28 in Vietnam (Asia-Fan, Vietnam’s largest ventilator manufacturer was purchased in May 2011), 19 in Japan (T-Fal brand), 7 in South Korea, 7 in Russia, etc. A typical store has a 120 sq.m sales area (excluding reserves). We operate common stores in high streets plus an array of outlet stores selling previous season items at discounted prices. Home & Cook is the most established brand, but we often associate a local brand like Imusa in Columbia or T-fal in Japan.
Sophie Baqué: Why is Seb Group so well established in emerging countries?
Géraud d’Adhemar: They are strategic markets for us. Indeed, when people become middle class, they want to buy home electrical products (such as irons and vacuum cleaners) that make their lives easier. However, exposure to fluctuation of foreign exchange markets may badly affect our turnover in Euro currency for 2014.
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