Contact:
Astrid Nolte
Phone: + 43 1 811 40 319
E-Mail: editor@newsfox.com
| Pressbox | 
|
Chavannes-de-Bogis (pte057/27.01.2003/11:34) - Ailing Swiss online supermarket LeShop.ch http://www.leshop.ch, a pioneer of European e-commerce, has at least for the moment been bailed out of its dire situation. The company announced today that its online shop would be taken over by private investors. Over the next two years, ShoppingNet Holding SA plans to invest ten million Swiss francs (6.82m euros) in the continued development of the company. According to LeShop.ch, its team of 69 employees will stay on and all existing structures will be maintained.
LeShop.ch and its new owner have agreed not to disclose the amount of purchase. In order for the company to start making a profit, it must triple its turnover to reach SF40m (27.28m euros) within the next two years. The company's new owner considers this "completely realistic". Jacques Delafontaine of ShoppingNet Holding SA said, "We believe that the sale of foods and everyday items plays an important role in the consumer services of modern society, and that Switzerland has enormous potential for development, especially when comparing our domestic market to those of the rest of Europe and the USA".
Last December former LeShop.ch owners the Bon-appetit Group http://www.bon-appetit.ch had announced plans to shut down the online supermarket due to lack of turnover (pte reported: http://www.pte.at/pte.mc?pte=021211010). When the possibility of finding new ownership arose, LeShop.ch was given a grace period in which to find new solutions. Ultimately, the new investors were persuaded that LeShop.ch was a worthy investment due to its five years of clear market leadership (over 65 per cent), successful customer bonding, and five years of experience as a European pioneer in this branch.
Journalist: Oliver Scheiber
(end)
|
|
