Today it was announced that after countless upheavals, the person who will acquire the Israir airline will be the businessman Rami Levy, owner of the Sycamore marketing chain, who will acquire the company together with Shalom Haim, the owners of the Taaman food company. Levy was a guest today (Tuesday) on the program “Where’s the Money” with Anat Davidov on 103FM, and talked to her about the year 2020 which was successful for the food chains, as well as the rumors that he intends to go into politics.
Food chains sum up a successful year with handsome profits. Do you adopt a strategy of entering more industries, dare to go for an airline?
“I can talk about everything but not the airline. Nothing in life is trivial, everything is not simple but what is not simple – just does not work, for us everything is simple. We do things so we can serve our consumers, do everything to be Best”.
Why look for new channels?
“It does not mean that because of the corona the business in the food chains was good, with us throughout the years because we are good with who we serve was good. In the corona period my network acts as an emergency weapon so we can serve our consumers. “There are also more expenses, more employees and we do everything so that we can serve the consumer in such a way that he gets what he wants to get. We are the last to have to grumble during this period, on the other hand our network needs to serve the consumer so he can buy food at home.”
All sorts of chains like this and others have quite complained about the fact that in the food chains and I guess even in your sycamore marketing put things that are not exactly essential like toys, books, clothing and footwear etc. Will you put the same products in the current closure this time as well?
“We have not introduced any product beyond what the chain was selling before, so I do not know what it is about. I understand those stores that are closed and the state must help them, because they employ a lot of workers and it is difficult for them, someone has to give them real help. And we need to help them. “
Earlier I talked about small businesses and cafes, whole streets with signs for rent. It is very sad. Is the government doing enough?
“I do not know, she should do more for those businesses that were living from hand to mouth before, she should help them. I would not take out to the Knesset those employees who work in the business, I would give the salaries to the business owner and the employee will continue as if he works in the business, give him “A small profit so that he can continue to breathe and operate as soon as the corona is finished, and not later until it opens and once again absorbs workers, it’s really a lot of bureaucracy and it’s harder than they would breathe business in this way it works even though it doesn’t work.”
What more?
“Helps those businesses, checks what fixed expenses they have.”
The finance minister is not helping enough?
“I do not know. I see a lot of businesses that need help and the finance minister if he hears me he will help them the most because they eventually employ tens of thousands of workers and they need help.”
Will you join politics?
“I’m my politics is to serve the customers I serve and continue to create jobs, that’s my politics. I’m not going into politics.”
Netanyahu turned to you and refused.
“Let’s not talk about it, it was in the past and I’m not in the politics section.”
Your name comes up again and again, you are attractive.
“The public in the State of Israel really appreciates our network.”
You are really loved by people, you are a person without barriers and without partitions, a popular man who did it with both hands why not serve as an example from the political place?
“I will continue to do what I know how to do best. I’m not in the politics section.”
Not joining?
“I’m not going into politics.”
There are signs of recession, do you see what you are buying?
“I see that customers who were used to buying in places that were easy for them, today they know that selling elsewhere is cheaper so they come to continue buying what they bought before. It’s no secret that people are hard and lack money.”
We see people standing in line to get a hot meal a day, food baskets, I’m talking about the eroding middle class.
“It’s very unfortunate to see this and hear it, but we in our field do everything to consistently do good with consumers. We give fair prices so consumers can buy.”