Interviews

Interview with Robert Okoński, Wawel SA Sales Director

Friday, 10 February, 2017 Food From Poland 27/2017
The wide range of Wawel products corresponds to the various needs of foreign clients. What do they expect from Polish sweets?

Our company’s products delight our clients with an exceptional taste and innovative packaging – we are getting positive feedback not only from our clients in Poland, but also from those living abroad. I can proudly say that the interest of potential foreign clients in our products is permanent and it is growing all the time.  We owe this to several factors on which we have bet on for years, namely paying attention to the quality, carefully creating recipes and using good ingredients for our products. These are our priorities and that’s what makes the Wawel brand sweets recognized by connoisseurs from around the world.

Which products can be considered as the export hits of Wawel?

It depends on individual markets, because we have a very wide portfolio and we manage to meet the expectations of many different markets. Clients in the Arab countries love Tofflairs and Choco & Fruity, on the other hand Hungarians prefer sugar-free chocolates. In Great Britain the supreme Choco & Peanut reigns. Increasing popularity worldwide gain our Fresh & Fruity jellies – juicy, fruity, great during hot days thanks to individual on-the-go packaging. Thanks to a wide range of our products we can boldly say that we have an offer for each region in the world.

We should not forget about some commercial tools which have lately become very popular and have played a significant role in strengthening Wawel’s position in the Polish market and abroad. I have in mind the Pick & Mix Project for bulk sales. It is a system of special display sets located in stores which enables customers to create their own favourite mix of candies, any taste and quantity. This innovative approach to bulk sales is very successful both in small shops and in big supermarkets and for this reason it is so popular. We are proud to have an opportunity to offer it to our distributors and clients. 

What was 2016 like for the Wawel company in terms of foreign expansion?

Very good. Our participation in fairs in Cologne, Amsterdam and Dubai allowed us to win new customers. China, Korea, Serbia and Saudi Arabia – these are the examples of new markets where Wawel started its activities in 2016. Last year we were consistently expanding our distribution in the company’s key markets, where the dynamics was above 30% YOY. We are constantly developing new projects which shall allow us to continue our dynamic development, also outside Poland.

Will 2017 be as intensive? What are the Company’s goals for the nearest future?

We will not slow down the pace. In 2017 we will complete the investments in progress and shall open new production lines which will allow us to boost sales, thanks to both the increase of production capacity and the introduction of new brands and products to our offer. Maintaining a double-digit dynamics in export, acquiring new customers and opening new markets are our goals and priorities. We have faith and a good plan to close 2017 with a successful result and a big dynamics of growth.



tagi: Wawel SA , Robert Okoński ,