Kesko to seek more competitive multi-channel home and speciality goods trade


KESKO CORPORATION STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 24.09.2014 AT 09.00 1(1)

Kesko to seek more competitive multi-channel home and speciality goods trade

In the home and speciality goods trade and the building and home improvement
trade, the importance of e-commerce and online services has greatly increased
and the improvement of competitiveness necessitates major renewal. In response
to these requirements, Kesko is seeking synergies especially in the production
of online services and the development of concepts. At the same time, the
planned changes will form a basis to improve profitability and the
organisational structure will be evaluated. Also the combination of the building
and home improvement trade with the home and speciality goods trade, as well as
the integration of the non-food part of the K-citymarket chain, currently part
of the home and speciality goods division, into Kesko Food operations, are
planned.

The objective is to offer customers multi-channel building, interior decoration
and home and speciality goods stores and services. The aim of the planned
integration of resources is to achieve better customer satisfaction as well as
improved competitiveness and profitability. In Kesko's food trade, the annual
sales are around €4.4 billion, in the building and home improvement trade around
€2.7 billion and in the home and speciality goods trade around €1.4 billion. As
at 30 June 2014, the food trade employed 4,035 people, the building and home
improvement trade 10,520 people and the home and speciality goods trade 8,111
people.

The changes will be planned in more detail and the required cooperation
negotiations will be conducted during the rest of 2014. The aim in Kesko Group's
reporting is that starting from 1 January 2015, the reportable segments would be
the grocery trade, the home improvement and speciality goods trade, and the car
and machinery trade. Kesko will publish comparatives according to the new
reporting structure in the first quarter of 2015.

President Terho Kalliokoski is responsible for the planning concerning the home
improvement and speciality goods trade and President Jorma Rauhala is
responsible for the planning concerning the grocery trade.

Further information:
President and CEO Matti Halmesmäki, Kesko Corporation, tel. +358 105 322 202
President Terho Kalliokoski, Rautakesko Ltd, tel. +358 105 320 200


Kesko Corporation


Merja Haverinen
Vice President, Group Communications


DISTRIBUTION
NASDAQ OMX Helsinki
Main news media
www.kesko.fi


[HUG#1857894]