Up launches digital purchasing platform for SMEs in Romania

The French group Up, a meal voucher issuer, has launched in Romania its digital platform up-achizitii.ro offering to local small and medium enterprises (SME) easier and faster purchasing options, the group’s managers said in a news conference on Wednesday.

“People knew us as a restaurant ticket issuer. We want to transform our business in a digital solutions’ supplier,” Catherine Coupet, president of Up Group, told reporters.

In 2015, Up has launched a mechanism called Innovation, and is testing different platforms on the markets where it operates.

Digital platforms for car fleet management, social benefits or restaurants are already in place in Mexico, the Czech Republic or France, and the new platform in Romania is part of the same strategy.

“In Romania, the new digital purchasing platform addresses to small companies without large purchasing power,” Coupet said.

Up already has a client portfolio of close to 15,000 companies in Romania, and this new digital platform is designed to satisfy some of their needs.

“SMEs want to have access to good offers, to have the power to negotiate good prices in a short period,” indicates Elena Pap, CEO of Up Romania.

The SMEs could negotiate and sign contracts – even in the same day – for a large category of goods, from fuels and postal services to water and coffee.

Up’s platform offers unique suppliers for each good and service, in order to obtain discounts up to 60 percent for SMEs, according to the group.