And now the “red enemies” admit: “Inspired by the supermarkets of Caprotti” – The Republic

BOLOGNA - Mauro Lusetti, 62 years, is the president of the national Legacoop. For years he has also worked for Conad, which is part of the League of cooperatives. Many clashes with the patron of Esselunga, Bernardo Caprotti. The pamphlet “the Sickle and the basket” has led to lawsuits, and judgments.
President, let’s start from the good things.

Who was, for you of the Coop and Caprotti?
“An innovator. I had heard of the Crossing, its so new to display the products and when in the early 80s I was about to open the first supermarket in Modena I took the car and went to Piacenza, where there was the Crossing with the nearest. I was impressed. At the entrance there was a department at “elle” with the exposure of fruits and vegetables. Very beautiful, colorful, fragrant. A department gorgeous. Do not say it is copied but I have certainly taken ideas and inspiration for organizing our supermarket and also those who came after. A visit to the Crossing, then and in all these years, it was almost an obligation.”

And from these visits, what have you learned?
“Caprotti was a goad, a great entrepreneur who has done well to the evolution and innovation of the distribution sector. It was a goad, because it has forced us to innovate and face the challenges of the market. It was a competitor’s important that it forced us to never lower the guard. If tentennavi for a moment, if you fermavi, he walked up to it and you really gave a damn. And this competition I believe that has done well at the whole distribution.”

The clashes were not confined to the shelves of the supermarkets. There have been lawsuits, accusations of political…
“On the political level, the battle is sometimes degenerate. With the publication of “Sickle and basket” has reached the tips of very harsh, with the consequent complaint for defamation by Coop Lombardia. Bernardo Caprotti has also used methods that are not always at the height of his strong entrepreneurial ability. All of these events confirm the respect we give to the founder of Esselunga, but they don’t make love.”

The invention of Bernardo Caprotti was not only a department, fruit and vegetable fragrant.
“No. He took the utmost care in the location of new supermarkets. If he decided to open in a city that is perhaps waited for years to get the permission or to wait until the new districts are designed to become reality, but did not change never idea. Studying the spending capacity of potential customers, choosing only the areas medium income, or high. This has never opened Esselunga under Rome. And then he replied to his model. And’ started from 1,500 square feet to arrive at 2,500-4,500 m, with an organization that is always equal, because the model was replicable. Its supermarkets are the same in Lombardy, Emilia, Veneto… And this facilitates the distribution, making it efficient to the maximum in the chain.”

And this whole thing has taught at the Coop?
“To organize ourselves better, and to also build in us supply chains more efficient. Of course, we had a different reality, starting from small shops to get the hyper 10 thousand square meters (which we don’t build more). The competition of Esselunga has helped us to rationalize and not to focus only on quantitative growth”.

Her what she thought, in the moment when he learned of the disappearance?
“A feeling of human sympathy, for the death of a person with whom you have done the math for a living. And I thought: what will happen to this company? Bernardo Caprotti was a unique character. And unique”.

Topics:

Interviews economy

Starring:

mauro lusetti