Enrique Tomás grows: More stores in Madrid.
Madrid, Feb 18 (EFE).- Enrique Tomás has presented today a new expansion plan that provides for the opening of between 35 and 40 new stores in one year , with an investment of more than five million euros; Of these, 20 will be located in Madrid , where the company has just landed.
The Catalan businessman, who opened his first store 32 years ago , today explained to Efeagro the company's plans, which this year has already opened three stores in Madrid, the city where part of this plan is centered, with another 17 stores here at the end of the year and an investment of about three million euros.
Among them, Tomás points out a "star" store , with a large space for tasting, like the one that is already consolidated in Barcelona, opposite the Boquería market and measuring 2,140 square meters.
The establishments of Enrique Tomás, which represent 50% of the company's turnover, opt for a marketing format that includes tasting at the bar and the "Take Away" , with the sale of ham in all its forms, from "flight pack ” (to take on a trip) even in a sandwich .
“The first thing we are is shopkeepers: so that half of the billing comes from the premises, the tasting bars are essential; that way everyone can try the product before taking it home", he added, a concept that he defines as a "ham shop that sells coffee" and that he hopes to export to London this year.
The British capital is his first international destination, as it is "the most cosmopolitan European city", and where he predicts that the large community of Spanish residents "helps spread the values of good ham ".
“The Spaniards who live there will be our ambassadors. They are the ones who really know the product”, insisted Tomás, who is considering, based on the success in London, opening another store in Germany .
With 48 own stores and 11 franchises, Enrique Tomás now hopes to invest more in this second format, which has an average cost per store of around 120,000 euros, while for a star store like the one in Barcelona it can amount to one million euros.
The difference is the magnitude of the premises and the space for tasting, although a great variety of references is offered in all of them, with 31 types of ham and 90 sliced product labels, of which 50% comes from external companies and the remaining half of maquila manufacturing (expressly for your company).
With this expansion plan, the company seeks to “ bring this product closer to the public , remove the expensive label and at the same time the 'stale touch' that the world of ham had”, in the words of Tomás.
In this sense, he stressed that the new Iberian standard approved by the Government "favors this product as a whole", although, in his opinion, "it is too complicated for consumers (...) We have lost an opportunity to make it more simple. Outside the sector, we cannot expect the consumer to delve so deep, because it is lost”, he argued.
Source: www.lavanguardia.com
