Croatian meat producer PIK Vrbovec has signed a distribution deal for its products with leading Polish supermarket chain Biedronka.
The grocery retailer, owned by Portuguese retail group Jeronimo Martins, will now offer meat products from the company in all of its 2,722 stores throughout Poland.
This export breakthrough takes place on occasion of 'Balkan Week', during which Croatian traditional products are available in the form of meat cuttings - Winter Salami and Kulen - under Biedronka’s private label brand Smaki Swiat (Flavours of the World) and Dalmatian prosciutto under the Premium Biedronka private label brand.
Export Potential
According to PIK Vrbovec marketing director, Tihana Vujčić, the Polish market, with its 38 million inhabitants, represents "huge export potential" for Croatian products.
Over the past few years, PIK Vrbovec's business has increasingly focused on exports. Last year, one fifth of the production was sold on foreign markets, representing a 12% increase compared to 2015.
Besides CEFTA markets, PIK Vrbovec exports its meat products and fresh meat to over 15 countries in the EU. The most important markets in the EU are Italy, Romania, Sweden and Hungary, while exports of PIK Vrbovec make up over one-third of total meat and meat products exports from Croatia.
PIK Vrbovec is owned by leading Croatian food and retail company Agrokor.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
