The IBC Global Forum 2020 will be presented in a live-streamed webinar format this year. Attendees can anticipate learning from key industry buyers and IHA’s Global Offices and Representatives. Please save the dates of September 22 – 24 for a twice daily livestream, featuring confirmed speakers from Sodimac (Latin America), Indòmit (Spain & Portugal), EPA (Costa Rica), Danesco (Canada), La Cocina Ideal (Costa Rica). Registration will be complimentary for IBC members.
Retail Overview: Sodimac
Sodimac is a home improvement retaier with a presence in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. Currently, the division has six different store formats: Sodimac Homecenter, Sodimac Constructor, Imperial, Homy, Dicico and Maestro. With over 220 outlets in Latin America, Sodimac has more than 5 million customers entering their stores each month and aims to not only service their customers with innovative products in-store, but also with their efforts to continuously develop their online offerings.
Patricia Barreiro, GMM of Home Décor, manages the central purchasing for the home and housewares category across all stores. This important category accounts for more than 25% of Sodimac’s sales. Patricia will discuss the nuances of the Latam market, Sodimac’s purchasing strategies and what makes for an ideal supplier to Sodimac.
Market Overview: Costa Rica
As a distributor in Costa Rica and several Central American markets as well as Panama for 15 years, La Cocina Ideal aims to launch new, environmental sustainable products in these markets. With growth goals beyond their home market, La Cocina Ideal is focused on expanding their throughout Central American while continuing growth in their key markets of Costa Rica and Panama. Vanessa Sandi, GM of La Cocina Ideal, will describe how this distributor targets new customers, looking beyond traditional retail channels to access a broader market for the products distributed by La Cocina Ideal. Vanessa will discuss the importance of the goal of simplifying the lives of the end-consumer through the products distributed by La Cocina Ideal as well as the goal of the company to supply products that adapt to the changing needs of the buyers.
Retail Overview: EPA
Headquartered in Costa Rica, EPA is a home center chain that has been in operation for 28 years, with stores in Venezuela, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala. Juan Francisco España, Director of EPA, will present how EPA successfully manages the company’s 28 large-format retail stores throughout the Central American market and what makes for a valuable supplier to EPA. In addition, Juan Francisco will discuss EPA’s “Casa” concept at several of the retailer’s outlets and the types of innovative home and housewares products that the retailer is sourcing for this initiative.
Market Overview: Canada
Danesco Inc. is a leading distributor and marketer of international housewares brands in Canada. The company is renowned for its impressive portfolio of brands, excellent channel management and ability to achieve depth and breadth of distribution in all trade channels. Danesco has been serving Canadian retailers for over 50 years. Brigitte Roy, President of Danesco, will discuss the distributor’s successes and the types of products and suppliers that make for ideal fits in the Canadian market of more than 37.5 million consumers.
Market Overview: Spain and Portugal
Based in Spain, Indòmit, aims to source global brands and distribute products within the home and housewares markets in Spain and Portugal. The distributor partners with brands and focuses on development of brand image and awareness, as well as customer confidence in the products it sources and distributes. Jordi Balius and Marta Papasseit, principals of Indòmit, will present their company’s distribution philosophy of honest customer service and how they build confidence in the Spanish and Portuguese markets through their distribution practices.
For up-to-date information on the Global Forum please review online details.
