Ankorstore, Comexposium and WSN sign an unprecedented partnership to combine the best of the digital and physical worlds
Ankorstore, Europe’s leading platform for direct sales between brands and independent retailers, and Comexposium and WSN, the world leaders in professional meetings, have signed an unprecedented agreement to offer retailers an omnichannel solution never before available on the market.
A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THREE LEADERS IN THE BtoB SECTOR
Arranging over 150 events in 20 countries, Comexposium is one of the world’s leading professional
meeting venues, hosting 48,000 exhibitors and attracting 3.5 million visitors.
Comexposium is also the world’s leading player in professional food events, thanks to the SIAL network
(International Agri-food Fair), which attracts more than 700,000 professionals.
WSN is a key player in professional meetings for the fashion, accessories, and lifestyle sectors. WSN
is the organiser of Who’s Next, Bijhorca, Impact, Premiere Classe, Matter and Shape, Curve Paris, Le
Salon de La Lingerie and Sport’Achat.
Founded in France 5 years ago, Ankorstore is Europe’s leading marketplace for direct sales between professionals. With a community of over 300,000 merchants and 30,000 brands, Ankorstore operates
in nearly 30 European countries.
Through its comprehensive solution offering technological, financial, and logistical tools, Ankorstore
has succeeded in becoming, in less than 5 years, a real partner in the day-to-day business of independent retailers by supporting the development of the B2B activity of brands and retailers. Ankorstore offers over 2 million products in 7 categories: Grocery & Drink, Home & Kitchen, Beauty & Wellbeing, Jewellery, Fashion & Accessories, Stationery & Leisure.
UNIQUE AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT, BOTH PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL
This unprecedented partnership between two leaders in physical trade events and Europe’s leading digital marketplace is intended to create a hybrid model that addresses the day-to-day issues faced by retailers, particularly fashion, lifestyle, and food retailers. Frédéric Maus, Managing Director of WSN, the fashion and lifestyle subsidiary, Renaud Hamaide, Chairman and CEO of Comexposium, and Nicolas d’Audiffret, CEO and co-founder of Ankorstore, share the same vision: to reinvent the independent retail sector in France and Europe by offering its players a powerful and comprehensive omnichannel solution to support them at every stage of the purchasing process.
The targeted digital communication rolled out by Comexposium and WSN to their brand communities
will be accentuated by the physical presence of Ankorstore at the group’s forthcoming events, giving
this innovative partnership prime visibility among players in the sector.
For its part, Ankorstore will be adding its expertise in online sales between professionals to the existing
services offered by partner trade shows. With over 300,000 retailers in Europe and a range of practical
solutions including logistics and management of its network of retailers, Ankorstore represents a new
growth driver for the community of exhibiting brands.
Initially, this partnership will focus on certain flagship events such as Who’s Next, Bijhorca, Gourmet
Sélection and SIAL. It will provide brands with a range of tools, cross-marketing initiatives, and access
to additional services for exhibiting at selected partner trade fairs in France and abroad.
Finally, as part of the partnership, Comexposium will become a minority shareholder in Ankorstore.
ABOUT ANKORSTORE
Founded in 2019, Ankorstore is reinventing independent retail by providing day-to-day support for the business development of these brand and retail players. Today, Ankorstore works with over 300,000 independent retailers and over 30,000 brands across nearly 30 countries in Europe. The company, founded in 2019 by four French entrepreneurs, reached unicorn status in 2021. To find out more, visit:
www.ankorstore.com.
ABOUT THE COMEXPOSIUM GROUP
The Comexposium Group is one of the world’s leading event organisers and facilitators of communities around their business and their passions. Comexposium arranges over 150 events for professionals and the general public, covering more than 10 sectors of activity (agriculture/food, retail/digital, fashion/accessories, leisure, etc.). The group connects 48,000 exhibitors and 3.5 million visitors, 365
days a year.
As a creator of experiences and encounters between individuals, Comexposium uses its events (SIAL, All4Pack, Paris Retail Week, One to One E-commerce, Foire de Paris, Rétromobile, etc.) and associated content to keep its communities connected all year round via effective and targeted omnichannel levers. www.comexposium.com
ABOUT WSN
WSN organises Paris trade fairs for international fashion professionals, mainly brands and distributors. Who’s Next, in January and September, presents ready-to-wear, accessories, beauty and lifestyle alongside Impact, the gathering of initiatives promoting the ecological and solidarity-based transition,
and Traffic, the event dedicated to solutions and innovations for fashion retailers and brands. WSN is
organising Bijorhca for BOCI. During Fashion Week in March and October, Premiere Classe presents
fashion accessories accompanied by a fine selection of ready-to-wear. Since July 2022, WSN has
organised the International Lingerie Show, Curve Paris, and Interfilière Paris for Eurovet at Porte de
Versailles, in January and summer. In March 2024, WSN launches Matter and Shape, a new kind of
design show.
PRESS CONTACTS
Ankorstore :
Edifice
Amine Moussaoui – 06 99 81 59 04 – amine@edifice-communication.com
WSN :
Howlett-Dubaele
Thibaut Dubaele – 06 24 12 65 33 – contact@howlettdubaele.com
Comexposium :
14 Septembre
Daisy Eyraud & Isabelle Cremoux – daisyeyraud@14septembre.com / isabellecremoux@14septembre.com