What the Army’s ‘supermarket’ and wholesaler sells and earns

By Giorgos Lampiris

A completely profitable business entity, which operates with resources that do not come from the state budget, is the Special Army Units Supply Center (EKEMS), which is active in the sale of products and in serving the needs of the Army and civilian personnel. Through retail, it serves eligible military personnel as well as civilian personnel of the Army, providing food, beverages, fuel and other products. In retail, for example, in addition to a food and beverage station, EKEMS also maintains an optical store, a store selling clothing and footwear, household items, electrical and electronic devices.

Through the wholesale service it serves the units of the land army with the object of their supply, the supply of the KPSM and similar services.

Net profitability reaching 1.5 million euros

The gross profit decreased in 2021 by 1.08% to 1.96 million euros in 2021, from 1.98 million euros in 2020. A key element for the profitable course of EKEMS is the total amount of discount on the invoices for the purchase of goods , which reached 1.14 million euros in 2021. Its 2021 net profit was €1.46 million from €1.58 million (-7.19%) in 2020 and its sales were €19.81 million from €19.92 million in 2020.

Of the net profits of 1.46 million euros, an amount of 1.36 million euros was allocated as a distribution of profits to the Special Branch of Financial Support of Dividends of the Army Equity Fund, which is subordinate to the Army Equity Fund. The remaining 102.64 thousand euros were allocated to the Supreme Military Support Command (ASDYS).

How are retail sales distributed?

From the total turnover of 7.4 million euros corresponding to retail sales, an amount of 3.98 million euros came from the food and beverage station he maintains in the Saketta camp in Byron, 184.96 thousand euros from sales to the military camp of Agios Andreas (KAAV Ag. Andreas), 534.96 thousand euros from the annex to the GES building in Papagos, 1.56 million euros from the gas station and 1.14 million euros from the department store. Retail sales correspond to 37.4% of total sales in 2021 and were increased by 9.2% compared to 2020. The sales of the food and beverage station decreased marginally with 0.37% and those of the department store significantly increased with 36.77% due to the lifting of the restrictive measures to deal with the pandemic, which brought traffic back to the physical store. The sales of the branch in the Agios Andreas camp were also strongly increased with 37.55% due to its operation for the first time on a twelve-month basis. Sales at the GES branch were also boosted with 11.62% and at the gas station with 16.71%. The main source of income for EKEMS, however, is wholesale sales, which take up the largest part of the total turnover. These concern the sale of fuel, sales of the central warehouse and triangular transactions to serve the needs of the army.

At 58 days the average payment time of suppliers

In terms of time to pay its suppliers, the average days was 57.91 during 2021. In terms of payables to suppliers in the previous year, they decreased by 17.85% to 2.55 million . euros from 3.11 million euros which was in 2020.

It should be noted that in the plan of EKEMS was its interconnection during 2022 with the Military Station of Thessaloniki, with the aim of improving the quality of supply of the units and services of the army and the service of its customers – beneficiaries.

It is noted that EKEMS during 2021 proceeded with the installation of an electric charger, also moving towards electrification, while it proceeded with the installation of an automatic car wash at the service station it maintains. In its design is the gradual maintenance of the fixed equipment in all the stores and branches it maintains.