Interviews

Aiming for top quality

Thursday, 13 October, 2022 Food From Poland 39/2022
On strong brands such as Profi, JemyJemy, and Manor Style Paté, export directions and nearest expansion plans we talk with Krzysztof Stojanowski, Chairman of the Board at Profi.
What share of your production is comprised by exports? What is the company’s strategy in production for both the Polish and foreign markets?

Profi, JemyJemy, and Manor Style Paté are all very strong brands on the Polish market and are leaders of their categories (pâtés, ambient soups, and premium pâtés, respectively). We have been continually working towards our position and the consumers’ loyalty since 1993, and we will soon celebrate our 30th anniversary of operation. Aiming for top quality, excellent taste and constant development, we have amassed a huge capital of confidence, allowing our products to reach outside the borders of Poland. Currently, between several per cent and more than a dozen per cent of our production is allocated for exports. We are present on many markets, predominantly in ethnic environments, but also more extensively in selected chains, such as Morrisons or ASDA in the British Isles. Our strategy is very consistent – we place our bets on high quality and taste, both of which are guaranteed by a strong brand. We focus on building our brands, providing consumers with new product proposals, and active response to the changing needs. This does not mean we are closing up to any Private Label actions. For instance, we cooperate with a global customer to whom we are the main supplier of soups and sauces, for both the Asian and European market.

What offer does Profi direct to foreign markets?

Three of our brands are present on foreign markets: Profi and Manor Style Paté pâtés, and JemyJemy ambient soups. We are particularly proud of the latter. The JemyJemy brand appeared on the local market at the end of the past year and was received fantastically by the consumers. Its advantage, obviously apart from its high quality and diverse composition inspired by traditional tastes from around the world (e.g. Asian and Indian cuisine, or European cuisines such as Hungarian or Italian ones) is a very convenient doypack packaging. Few manufacturers offer this kind of packaging, which gives us an unquestionable advantage in this category. It makes the JemyJemy soups excellently fit in with the quick lifestyle of consumers and with the ongoing trends: zero waste, plant-based food, or convenience food. Moreover, they are gluten-free, which makes them perfectly suit the needs of another customer group. JemyJemy soups need no refrigerator storage, have long shelf lives, and are easy to transport. To put it shortly, they fulfill many criteria guaranteeing success in sales.

We can see vast potential in the “ready-to-eat” ambient foods (soups, sauces, quick dishes ready to eat upon heating) and in this regard, we would like to develop on foreign markets as well. Our offer is wide, and our production capacities enable much elasticity in order implementation. We can supply dedicated products – with a specific composition, weight or in indicated packages, according to the customer’s preferences. Going further, we have the resources and capacities to manufacture the dedicated assortment in accordance with a provided external recipe.

The Profi pâté is number one on the Polish market. Is it well-liked abroad as well?

The Profi pâté enjoys huge popularity, it is a widely available product addressed to mainstream customers. It fits in perfectly with the consumer needs, as confirmed by its position as category leader on the Polish market, held for many years. For more demanding users, our offer also includes a premium brand – Manor Style Paté, a line of pâtés with an addition of noble meats: boar, deer, rabbit, and duck. A perfect taste, 100% natural recipes, premium craft packages – all of this makes the product highly appreciated by customers from around the world and distinguishes Profi among other suppliers.

Which foreign markets are of strategic significance for the sales of Profi products?

We mainly focus our attention on European and South American markets, but we cooperate with the Asian one as well. For a considerable time, our products have been present in Ukraine, enjoying much popularity. We will unquestionably be active in this area.

 What are the export plans of Profi for the time to come? Will your products appear on new foreign markets?

We can see much potential in the category of ambient soups and sauces, we wish to develop it to the level currently achieved by pâtés from our portfolio. We also strongly believe in the potential of the Manor Style Paté brand. Above all, our aspiration is to increase the scale on all markets – both at home and in exports.

Thank you.



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