Interviews

Interview with Joanna Majdańska, Export Director of Vobro

Friday, 19 October, 2018 Food From Poland 32/2018
The presence of Vobro company in the international market is expanding. We talki with Joanna Majdańska, Export Director on company’s offer and future plans for export development.
The Vobro company manufactures more than 100 kinds of sweets, both with and without chocolate. How do you perceive your market position?

Our company focuses on development and innovation in products, we diversify our portfolio, selling not only chocolate products, such as pralines or chocolate candies; we also put much emphasis on a wide assortment of jellies with liquid filling under the Frutini brand. A new category introduced to both Polish and foreign markets is the Vitalio brand – healthy candy bars in several different taste variants, with additional advantages.

How does the company stand in export production? How does the offer dedicated to foreign markets differ from the domestic one?

Our company focuses on dynamic development of the export sales channel, as one of the three stable foundations of sales. Foreign markets provide an opportunity to acquire new business partners and long-term contracts. However, one should not forget the hazards connected with the exchange rate risk vs PLN, as well as the effect of politics on business relations and the associated restrictions.

The company maintains a safe balance between proceeds from export sales and from the domestic market. Our offer for export markets definitely differs from the domestic one. Depending on the target country and taste preferences, we have different expectations concerning packaging forms or weight.

We also pay much attention to cultural requirements. Our export offer is modified depending on the target market: different products are offered to Middle Eastern markets than to Eastern European ones.

Which countries are the main group of your recipients?

Currently, the greatest turnover on the Vobro products is obtained in Central and Eastern European countries; we put strong emphasis on the stable development of our products on the markets of Hungary, Romania, Slovakia.

We intensively develop cooperation under direct contracts with trade chains, e.g. on the Hungarian market. We are currently conducting advanced negotiations with Western European trade chains, which will be the direction of our development for the years to come.

On how many markets are the Vobro products currently present?

We sell products under the Vobro brand in more than 50 countries. There are markets we have been building for many years, as well as new ones, acquired through active operations of our team during such events as international trade fairs. This year, the company has attended several fair events, such as ISM in Cologne, Gulfood Dubai, the fair in Singapore.

What markets are still inaccessible to your sweets and why?

China is a difficult market for us, we are hardly satisfied with the results of our sales there. Our products are too sweet for the Chinese.

Moreover, the requirements of the Chinese market are very stringent, highly detailed product specifications  are required, many ingredients approved in the EU are not admitted for trade in this country.

Do you adapt your offer to the changing market trends? What compromises are worth making? I mean the trend of healthy, ecologic food and resignation of sweets in the diet? Do you observe such consumer behaviour?

The answer to this question is complex, we examine market trends and prepare new products to meet the changing customer expectations. Simultaneously, there are products which already have long-standing consumers. The important thing is to adapt the offer to different customers, including those with a more classic approach to sweets, preferring specific tastes, such as cherry in liqueur.

Of special importance in this area is cooperation and understanding of the Marketing and Sales teams.

What will be the company’s surprise for its customers in the near future? Can we expect new products in your offer? Are there any changes planned in the company’s operations, do you plan any investments?

The company places emphasis on the diversification of sales channels, customers and the assortment alike. Therefore, we will soon continue to develop and invest in groups of non-chocolate products, with a wide range of different packaging forms.

For the upcoming years, the company will conduct a policy of further production process optimization, and this goal will be pursued, among other things, through investments.

Thank you for your time.


tagi: Vobro , Joanna Majdańska ,