Dear collaborators, distinguished members of the EDK group and its subsidiaries,
In this solemn period which marks the close of the year, I take the opportunity to send you my most distinguished greetings. My words reflect deep recognition, aware that the year 2023, which has come to an end, has been characterized by the exceptional efforts and dedication deployed by each of you within the EDK group.
My sincere thanks are particularly addressed to all the employees, working tirelessly on the various sites, as well as to the management, whose remarkable work has constituted the foundation on which the flourishing success of the group has been built. Your commitment to our common mission remains the very foundation of our success.
The past year will be remembered as a period of significant achievements despite difficult economic conditions. The successful inauguration of new service stations in Mbirkilane, Kounguel and Mandat Douanes, as well as Djolof Chicken Dahra, Touba 1 and Médina Baye, is an eloquent illustration of this. Current projects, such as the service stations in Ouoro Sogui, Ranérou, Keur Ayib, Karang, Diamniadio, Bango, Ziguinchor, the Almadies Siège and Sud Foire supermarkets, as well as the group's headquarters in Ngor- Almadies, bear witness to our sustained growth.
The new headquarters, designed with modernity, enhanced security and optimal accessibility, symbolizes our ambition to contribute to the development of Senegal by creating value and sustainable jobs. This centralization aims to facilitate governance, coordination, management, sharing of best practices and pooling of efforts for optimal synergy of the group and its various subsidiaries. Ethics, environmental protection and exemplary governance are the key words for responsible growth and development within our group in its various activities.
The group's new official website, accessible at www.groupe-edk.com, offers a more complete showcase of our activities to the general public, also facilitating the sharing of news and consultation of a recruitment portal.
The awareness-raising mission deployed across all of our sites on my instruction with a view to establishing staff representatives demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the well-being of our employees. Although the elections were postponed for administrative reasons, our persistent efforts are aimed at establishing a constructive dialogue within our company.
Despite global economic challenges, the year 2023 was marked by successful social initiatives, such as the successful celebration of March 8, the distribution of Christmas gift vouchers, and the extension of IPM coverage with Transvie, supported by the group and its subsidiaries.
The Investment Grade rating assigned by the GCR rating agency to EDK OIL, with fundraising on the bond market, demonstrates the financial solidity of our group. The establishment of an internal security service, supervising the work of security partners and remote monitoring to ensure the safety of goods and people on sites and combating markdowns, illustrates our commitment to the protection of our assets.
The collaboration with the Carabane Partners firm for a support mission in organization and governance reinforces our unwavering commitment to operational excellence. As a civic group, we have supported major events, thus strengthening our dynamic presence within the community. We recently inaugurated the Thiès health center, a high-quality establishment offered to the population of Thiès by the EDK group, underlining our commitment to social responsibility, ethics and the improvement of the local environment.
For our subsidiary EDK Oil, we are proud to announce the creation of the auto space, with ambitious projects for diagnosis and marketing of automotive accessories in 2023. We recall that automotive training was offered to agents, and free diagnostics were offered to customers at certain sites such as Massalikoul and Mariste. We have also implemented software with a feature that permanently addresses the ticketing issue, underscoring our commitment to business ethics.
Strengthening agent training in partnership with 3FPT, and better management of career plans with internal promotions in sight, constitute initiatives leading to progress. Good prospects are emerging with the 6 sites which will open in early 2024, accompanied by new recruitments. We have also strengthened the sales team to guarantee customer service.
For our subsidiary LowPrice, the imminent advent of the e-commerce site www.lowprice.sn represents a major step forward in our service offering in the mass distribution sector. Senegalese here and in the diaspora will now be able to make their purchases in a few clicks, with exemplary simplicity, and benefit from fast delivery. We have introduced new innovations at some locations, including the Minute Photo device called “Photo Ma By EDK” and juicers that produce natural juice. The loyalty card program will come into effect in January 2024. We have strengthened the quality, hygiene, technical, accounting, IT and business teams to ensure an exceptional customer experience, underlining our commitment to ethics and quality.
Concerning our subsidiary Djolof Chicken, we have opened new sites with an extension in Guinea and the consolidation of our successful presence in Gambia. We are providing greater support for certain social issues, and the upcoming launch of online ordering, highlighting our commitment to social responsibility, ethics and innovation.
Regarding our subsidiary Quick Pay, the recruitment of a local network made it possible to manage the availability of our services, and we now have 10,500 active distributors. Our strong strategic partnership with state structures (DDD, SONAGED, BHS) as well as the revision of our commercial strategy with the establishment of a digital recruitment platform are key elements of our success. For the year 2024, our technological outlook includes a new platform offering more flexibility, security, user-friendliness, continuity of service, and new accessibility channels which, strategically, will be a game-changer, underlining our commitment to innovation, technological governance and ethics.
Our ambitions in the retail sector aim to strengthen our presence with a target of more than twenty thousand distributors, to boost merchant payment with a target of fifty thousand merchants and billers, and to gain the trust of more customers with a target of a million customers. Despite the many challenges we have faced, we remain standing thanks to the resilience and determination of our teams, with the help of the Almighty.
Our initial call to all staff, thirteen years ago now, when EDK was created, remains the same today: that of honest and well-done work for the development of Africa, and to be proud of our achievements for future generations, so that they can believe in their potential and their ability through work and seriousness.
As for our future prospects, we plan to continue the development of Edk Oil, Lowprice, Djolof Chicken and Kpay by opening new outlets. The launch of the commercial activities of Tefess Industrie, the livestock and poultry feed factory, as well as the Proof of concept for electric charging batteries, illustrate our unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainable development, governance and social responsibility.
In conclusion, I would like to express my deep gratitude to each of you for your contribution to the success of the EDK Group in 2023. Together, we have achieved significant milestones, and I am convinced that the coming year will be even more promising.
I would particularly like to remind you that our fellow Senegalese citizens have obviously ended up adopting EDK as their property and they show it to us every day by visiting our sites with regularity. Let us try, through our seriousness and our commitment, to serve them with reverence and quality, and to make their customer journey unique and pleasant.
I wish you all an excellent holiday season and a new year marked by success, prosperity, happiness, and respect for our environment.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. Demba KA
Chairman and CEO of the EDK group