Greek supermarket group Sklavenitis has reached an agreement to acquire 13 ENA Cash & Carry wholesale stores from rival grocery retailer AB Vassilopoulos.
The transaction nearly doubles the store network of The Mart, the wholesale division of Sklavenitis, providing fresh momentum to the country's second largest organized cash-and-carry operator.
Under group head Makis Sklavenitis, the purchase of the ENA network marks the company's most substantial wholesale expansion since 2015, when the organization entered the sector by acquiring the Greek operations of German wholesaler Makro.
The move is designed to shift the balance of power in Greece's organized wholesale market, stepping up competitive pressure against long-standing market leader Metro Cash & Carry.
Battle for the wholesale market
Greece's organized wholesale grocery sector is valued at 1.37 billion euros, but commercial conditions have become increasingly demanding after the market recorded only marginal growth in 2025.
The Mart currently generates annual sales of 450 million euros. By adding the 13 ENA locations, the chain intends to narrow the distance that separates it from market leader Metro Cash & Carry, which is controlled by the Panteliadis family and headed by Aristotelis Panteliadis.
Both Sklavenitis and the Panteliadis family have accelerated their capital investments in logistics and infrastructure as they compete for dominance among professional clients, including hotels, restaurants, cafes, and local grocers.
Store network integration
Leonidas Theoklitos, the chief executive officer of The Mart, led the acquisition talks with AB Vassilopoulos. Theoklitos has now been tasked with overseeing the practical integration of the 13 newly acquired stores into the existing network.
The seller, AB Vassilopoulos, is one of Greece's established retail supermarket operators and forms part of the Dutch-Belgian retail group Ahold Delhaize. The divestment of the ENA brand allows AB Vassilopoulos to step back from running dedicated wholesale outlets.
Metro Cash & Carry remains the largest player in the Greek wholesale trade, operating under Metro SA alongside its My market retail chain. With overall market expansion slowing, industry rivalry between Greece's two grocery giants is now focused on store density and supply chain efficiency.
