UNIGroup closes Graz: 91 jobs at risk due to structural change!

UNIGroup closes Graz: 91 jobs at risk due to structural change!

The UNI Group, a major company in the food trade, announces the closure of its logistics location in Graz by the end of February 2025. This painful decision affects 91 employees who, according to company management, will be registered with the Employment Service (AMS) for termination. Managing director Andreas Hämmerle states that this measure is an essential response to the structural change in the food trade and is intended to ensure competitiveness, as reported oe24.at.

Reasons for closure

The UNIGroup sees significant challenges posed by changing market conditions, particularly for smaller retailers. In order to counteract the increase in operating costs and falling sales, several restructuring measures have already been carried out in 2023 and 2024, including the closure of non-profitable online shops and the switch to a franchise model for the Unimarkt branches. Loud volksblatt.at All Unimarkt branches are to be converted to this model by 2025. To date, 65 of the 124 locations have been managed by franchise partners.

The decision to close the Graz location was made after intensive consideration, as the UNI Group plans to control logistics via a central warehouse in Upper Austria in the future in order to increase efficiency. Hämmerle emphasizes that all options were carefully considered in order to secure the UNI Group's strengths in Austria in the future. The closure of the site not only means the end for many employees, but is also part of a broader strategy to reduce costs and adapt to the new market conditions.