AUSTRIA: BILLA BETTING ON TRAVELS, ORGANIC FOOD
Article Abstract:
ITS Billa Reisen, the Austrian travel agency subsidiary of the German trade giant Rewe, reached break even in the first year of operation, selling 34,000 holidays for Sch 200mn. In 2000 the company expects to sell 65,000 holidays for about Sch 500mn. Exploiting synergies with the Ja! Naturlich organic product line sold in Billa supermarkets, ITS Billa Reisen is to offer holidays on organic 19 farms in the Hohe Tauern national park that supply the supermarkets. Advertising for the farm holidays will be printed on the packaging of organic milk and cheese. ITS Billa Reisen expects the farm holidays to contribute 5-10% to the company's turnover from non-flight holidays. Holidays involving air travel account for 75% of the turnover of ITS Billa Reisen. ITS Billa Reisen catalogues are distributed at all of the group's 900 supermarkets, a company-owned travel agency in Vienna, two call centres in Vienna and Salzburg, and Osterreichische Verkehrsburo. A second call centre is to be set up in Salzburg. Meanwhile, another travel subsidiary of Rewe, Airconti, which sells only holidays with air travel and concentrates on a higher market segment than ITS Billa Reisen, is not planning cooperation with the latter. Instead, its holidays are marketed by 550 travel agencies in Austria.
Publication Name: Presse
Subject: Business, international
ISSN:
Year: 2000
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AUSTRIA: BILLA TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY ITSELF
Article Abstract:
E & S, subsidiary EVN and Wienstrom, is to supply the 1,600 outlets of the Austrian retailer Billa with electricity from 1 January 2000. Billa needs annually about 405 GWh of electricity. By law, Billa would not be allowed to select its electricity supplier freely since the power consumption of the individual outlets is not high enough. However, a company is allowed to supply its subsidiaries with electricity itself. Thus, to enable the cooperation with E & S, Billa is to lease power stations from EVN and Wienstrom. Further retail chains and other large companies with a number of small subsidiaries may make use of the loophole as well, which means a market liberalisation to a wider extent than planned. It is still open when private households will be allowed to choose their electricity suppliers freely. When the time comes, E & S sees good opportunities to sell electricity through Billa's outlets.
Publication Name: Presse
Subject: Business, international
ISSN:
Year: 1999
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AUSTRIA: VENDING MACHINES AT BILLA
Article Abstract:
At two supermarkets in Vienna, Austria, the retailer Billa has installed vending machines which are available to customers for 24 hours a day. The machines offer a range of 180 products. Customer dials the product code, pays, and a robot fetches the article. Prices correspond to those at Billa supermarkets. The first fully automatic shops were opened in Vienna in March 1999 by the Kastner group. At the "Shop 24", people prefer to buy drinks and sweets while other food products and hygiene articles play a secondary role, according to Christof Kastner. He is planning to open further Shop 24 outlets especially in eastern Austria. The second-largest Austrian trader Spar is not going to follow the trend.
Publication Name: Presse
Subject: Business, international
ISSN:
Year: 2000
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