Endless: How it got into all the big supermarkets

Of George Lampiris

Endless EC, a stationery and detergent company, is investigating its entry into the Alternative Market of the Athens Stock Exchange, but there is currently no final decision on this issue, while everything related to this issue will be evaluated soon in order to make final decisions. .

Also within 2021 the company managed to enter with a branded product in four large chains and specifically in AB Vassilopoulos, My Market, Masouti and Sklavenitis. In the first three he maintained a presence with private label products stationery and detergents on a case by case basis.

As for Sklavenitis, since the chain produces the stationery “Glaros” the bet was even more difficult for Endless, however it was achieved about two months ago.

The vehicle to achieve this was the release of the Endless Earth series of value-added stationery, packaged in recyclable paper, a product that would essentially compete with the company-produced private label products, which in fact exceed 40% of the turnover of.

Turnover over 56 million euros in 2021

The head of the company as CEOs are both George Trakakis and Thanasis Christopoulos, being the second generation of entrepreneurs in the family business.

Within 2020, it recorded an increase in sales by 8% from 52 million euros in 2019, reaching 56.5 million euros. It should be noted that 60% of its turnover comes from the HoReCa sector and 40% from the retail and supermarket sector. This year it will move slightly positively with a small single-digit growth rate.

The company moves in this market of detergents and stationery, which on a nationwide basis distributes its sales by 50% in supermarkets and by 50% in wholesale, special partners and paper warehouses.

The sales ratio corresponds to 65% in stationery and 35% in detergents, as stated by the CEO of Endless, George Trakakis.

The total turnover of this product category is estimated nationwide at 300 million euros and 170,000 tons in terms of quantities sold.

During the quarantine, specifically in the first fortnight of March 2020, the consumption of the category increased by 85%, an image that showed gradual signs of balancing.

It completed investments of 17 million with a face in the pandemic

In the investment sector, the company completed in 2019 a large investment of 17 million euros for the expansion of building facilities and the upgrade of its mechanical equipment based on equity and lending.

With this investment its production capacity increased by more than 50% and in essence this move came to pay off in 2020, given the increased demand for paper products and detergents in Greece due to the pandemic, especially during the first months of last year.

Another category in which it started operating in the first months of 2020 was that of masks, which it imports from China and sells mainly in retail but also in HoReCa.

Exports to selected markets

At the same time, it maintains a percentage of 5% of its exports in the Balkans, Cyprus, Australia and America where there is a Greek community as well as in Israel, while in Turkey it exports tablecloths.

However, its object by its nature, since it is a product quite cheap and bulky and the shipping cost is significant, does not favor the significant further development of its international sales. Recently, in order to promote its brand, it changed its name from Eurochart to Endless EC

Regarding the supply chain, Mr. Trakakis noted that so far there are no problems that affect his business.

However, smaller competitors, mainly craftsmen, said that they are facing a problem mainly in finding raw materials, which will create – as he predicted – a liquidation in the market.

At the moment, Endless, as he noted, has not increased prices, with the exception of individual updates.