DIA Group Hands Out its Fourth Annual Awards for the Best Franchisees
Nine company franchisees have been recognized by Richard Golding, First Vice-President of the DIA Group’s Board of Directors, and by Ricardo Currás, Managing Director. Five of them were acknowledged in the “Values” category, and four in the “Track Record” category.
DIA Group is a pioneer in the franchise world, being the largest chain with this type of business model in Spain, as well as the third largest with this business model in Europe.
This morning, DIA Group handed out its “Fourth Annual Awards for the Best Franchisees” at the Teatro Real (Royal Theatre) of Madrid. With these awards, the distribution group acknowledges the effort and commitment of its franchisees – one of the pillars of its business model. Richard Golding, First Vice-President of the DIA Group’s Board of Directors, and Ricardo Currás, Managing Director of the DIA Group, were those in charge of handing out the awards.
DIA Group has 28 years’ experience establishing franchises and it has become the Spanish company with most franchises in the world – as well as the third ranking franchisor on the European level in terms of the food sector. 51% of all DIA shops are managed as franchises; that is to say, a total of 3,969 establishments in the five countries in which it operates (Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Argentina and China). DIA franchises provide employment to more than 25,000 people around the world, 7,848 of whom are in Spain.
This business model allows entrepreneurs from different regions to generate new business opportunities by becoming part of a large sales network – one that is a leader in neighborhood retail sales.
During this year’s “Fourth Annual Awards for the Best Franchisees”, as in other years, the company recognized the national franchisees that best represented its five values: Customer, Efficiency, Initiative, Respect and Team. For the first time, DIA Group gave awards to acknowledge the Track Records of its best international franchisees in four of the countries in which it is present: Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Portugal.
The Winners
The award for the “Customer” value was given to Raquel Ruiz de la Fuente from Colindres (Cantabria). After 15 years working for DIA Group, she made the decision to become a franchisee. Raquel Ruiz has a DIA Market establishment that is one of the best shops in the area thanks to her innovative actions. Her desire to satisfy all customers is key in her work.
The “Efficiency” award went to Noelia Lorenzo Martín from Salamanca. After eight years working for DIA, she agreed to take on her first shop as a franchisee. Thanks to her proactiveness, efficiency and ability to manage teams, Noelia Lorenzo has been able to effectively sort out the difficulties that she has faced. She currently manages two DIA Market Shops.
Gloria Bress, of Barcelona, was one of the first individuals to request a Clarel franchise, which is why she was given the award for “Initiative”. Gloria Bress impeccably manages her shop, constantly improving and increasing its sales – not to mention its level of customer satisfaction.
DIA Group recognized the work of Raquel Selles from Petrel (Alicante) with the award for the “Respect” value. After 10 years working for the chain, Raquel Selles decided to embark upon a business venture of her own with a DIA franchise: a DIA Maxi. She has worked tirelessly to manage her teams well and to always put her best face forward with her customers, keeping in mind the values of respect and kindness. Five months ago, she started online sales at her shop, putting herself at the forefront of a field that is in constant expansion.
The award for the “Team” value went to the Romero Jacome family of Casabermeja (Málaga), who run three DIA Market establishments. These two sibling franchisees are an example of perseverance, organization and teamwork. They are magnificent ambassadors for the chain as they contribute to the training and development of new franchisees.
The award recognizing Track Record in Argentina went to Adriana Ledesma, who is responsible for a total of 20 employees in her two establishments in Buenos Aires. Her broad experience and her commitment to the Group are what have brought her to win this award. For Adriana Ledesma, DIA equates to her “personal independence and growth”.
Flavio Azevedo received recognition for his Track Record in Brazil thanks to his three DIA Market Shops in the state of São Paulo. After six years working with the Group, Flavio joined the great DIA family with more than 70 workers, always following the principles of cooperation and teamwork. For him, DIA represents “a great personal accomplishment”.
The Group likewise recognised the work of Manuel Jesús Rodríguez Muñoz, from Vejer de la Frontera (Cádiz), for his Track Record in Spain. Manuel’s relationship with the Group has been ongoing for 20 years. Currently, he has a DIA Market Shop. His dedication, sacrifice, customer service and good attitude towards his staff members have been passed on to his children, two of whom have come to run company stores.
Lastly, Pedro Fernandes and Francisco Peixeiro got the award for their Track Record in Portugal. They started in 2005 in Boticas, later opening establishments in Murtosa and then Esmoriz, all of which are located in the vicinity of Oporto. In each of these three municipalities, they run Minipreço establishments. Fernandes and Peixeiro have remodeled two of the three shops they operate in order to adapt them to the needs of their customers. All in all, they provide work to 25 professionals.
