AMF trainees donate EUR 8,500 from the direct sale of Christmas market items

Christmas sales defy corona with record numbers

Even though the Fellbach Christmas Market 2020 was cancelled, the trainees at Andreas Maier GmbH & Co. KG can report record numbers from their sales of self-made products and donate EUR 8,500 to a good cause. This time the money goes to the Working Group for Depression and Anxiety. Under difficult conditions, they earned EUR 7,932 in a click-and-collect process. The sale always took place on Mondays and Wednesdays at the premises of AMF. And because the lockdown struck on 16th December, there were only four days of sales. However, with an average daily turnover of almost EUR 2,000, the trainees achieved the highest value ever. The CEO increased the amount even more.

"We are very impressed how our trainees defied the corona circumstances and achieved a great result with a lot of creativity and commitment," emphasizes Peter Andrianos, who is responsible for commercial training at Andreas Maier GmbH & Co. KG. The annual Christmas campaign by trainees at Andreas Maier GmbH & Co. KG brought in EUR 7932. And without even being able to use the stand at the Christmas market with its permanent presence and attention. That also convinced the CEO, Johannes Maier, who added around EUR 500. As a result, a donation of EUR 8,500 will go this year to the Working Group for Depression and Anxiety, an association of ten self-help groups in the greater Stuttgart area to deal with depression and anxiety. On Monday, 22nd February, Monika Neumann-Koch, the head of the Fellbach group of the working group, accepted the donation on behalf of everyone.

Much sought-after products that simply bring joy

Before that there was a lot of work for the 8 commercial, 14 industrial and 3 technical trainees at AMF. Since the Fellbach Christmas Market 2020 Corona had to be cancelled, the young people set up a room in the company specially for orders and collection. "We had already practiced click-and-collect when the term did not even exist," says Vanessa Emmerich, spokeswoman for the commercial trainees. It was even possible to install a “one-way system” for the collectors with separate entrances and exits. It was particularly challenging to make the sale known in this form. Therefore, in addition to organizing and manufacturing the products, the trainees also learned a lot about marketing in the annual live project.

The fact that the sale went so well is probably due to the great awareness of the actual project, which took place for the fifteenth time in 2020. "We have many regular customers who know us and who buy lots of Christmas presents for their loved ones from us every year," says Ardit Prela, spokesman for the commercial trainees. With 690 units sold, the plug-in mini Christmas tree was the most requested item and also the best-selling item at EUR 690.

A record reached with the highest daily turnover ever

The catalog of self-designed and manufactured metal products now includes 55 items. The spectrum ranges from a simple key ring for EUR 2.50 to a large Christmas tree for EUR 60. "These are by no means just Christmas items, but in fact things that bring pleasure all year round," explains Vanessa Emmerich. A total of almost EUR 8,000 were raised. Converted to the few sales days, this was an average daily turnover of EUR 1983, which was more than at all previous Christmas markets. The fact that the proceeds are donated to charity has a long tradition. And as always, the trainees themselves have proposed the beneficiary.