Mariana Founta: The saleswoman who loved fashion and created Shop & Trade

Mariana Founta may not be well-known to the general public. However, she is extremely renowned in business circles, and the reality is that she has achieved a lot over the years she has led the clothing trading company, Shop & Trade.

The most significant achievement that can be attributed to her is that she brought companies to Greece that were previously unknown and managed to establish them, achieving great commercial success. One such case in previous years was the women's clothing company Miss Sixty, as well as others such as Pepe Jeans, Energie. Shop & Trade was founded in 1994, bringing modern fashion brands to the Greek market, which managed to establish themselves over the years.

Collaboration with more than 1,700 wholesale customers in Greece, Cyprus, Southeast Europe

Today, the company has a presence in Greece, Cyprus, and Southeast Europe, offering an advanced e-commerce platform for wholesale customers (B2B), as well as related platforms for retail customers (B2C). The company's activity is based on a strong network with over 1,700 wholesale customers and a strong presence in retail, with 60 sales points, shops-in-shops, franchises, and owned stores.

The company's head, at a time when many of her peers favored entering the public sector, chose a different path. Originating from Palampela, Aetolia-Acarnania, and coming from a large family, she opened her horizons far beyond what anyone would expect. She studied Economics in Law and started working in a children's clothing company as a member of the export department. She quickly decided that she wanted to become a saleswoman. Believing in her strengths and capabilities, she moved in this direction, where she was employed for about five years. She then decided to turn to her great love, fashion, and did so. She began traveling around the world, learning more about the market and the history of clothing and fashion. Simultaneously, she foresaw that Greece was at a critical turning point, where consumers would seek simplicity in their daily attire with clothes that were simultaneously modern and affordable in price. The first step was made when she started importing the company Home Boy, which made a lot of noise in the 1990s, mainly addressing a teenage audience and people in the skate community.

Expansion to Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova

In 2022, Shop & Trade expanded its presence to new markets such as Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan through agency partnerships. It also strengthened its presence in the wellness sector, doubling the turnover of Life Fitness and bolstering Cybex. Additionally, Shop & Trade significantly strengthened sales in its key brands, including Guess, Salomon, and Birkenstock, extended its already successful collaborations with department stores, and created new sales spaces in the attica department stores. Furthermore, the company achieved a significant increase in sales, up by 24% compared to 2021, reaching €82.95 million, while EBITDA profits improved by 17%, amounting to €7.31 million.

Moreover, the company's net borrowing decreased by 10% compared to 2021, while pre-tax profits nearly doubled to €3.3 million from €1.8 million the previous year, and post-tax profits amounted to €2.55 million, compared to €1.32 million in 2021. At the same time, it presents broad prospects for growth in the coming years, largely based on the business acumen, foresight, and passion for fashion of Mariana Founta.

However, the expansion moves made or planned to be implemented in the coming years in foreign countries will also play a significant role, increasing its market presence.