4 Food Sector Forum
British Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC) and Trusted Adviser Group (TAG) invite you to participate in the 4th British-Polish Food Sector Forum which takes place on 17 March at the EXPO XXI building.
Coverage
For the fourth time, the British-Polish Food Forum brought together senior managers from sector – food producers and retailers, distributors and logistics experts, government representatives, banks financing the sector, advisory firms and marketing agencies.
Polish and UK industry speakers will focus on:
- Lean manufacturing-process optimisation, employee engagement
- Retail trade cooperation between UK and Poland
- Trends in food retailing, prices & consumer preferences
- Valuation of food companies and tax optimisation
- Increasing brand value
- Increasing product value by going organic
- Lean logistics solutions for domestic and international trade
- Market trends in the UK and Poland; packaging and marketing
The Polish food manufacturing sector will continue to experience significant challenges in retail market consolidation, supplier pressures to optimise production and reduce costs as well as challenges in exporting to such countries as the UK.
Lean manufacturing, cost avoidance, brand positioning, business valuation and market preferences and trends are key to food manufacturers in remaining competitive and surviving the next few years.
Food producers will have to make a clear choice: either they will have to focus on high-volume, low-margin production, or else concentrate on niche markets, making specialty products in lower volumes which will allow higher margins. In the volume end of the market, lean producers will have the edge.
This Forum is designed to offer business owners and managers in the food industry an opportunity to meet industry experts, managers and owners of food companies from Poland and the UK, to exchange best practice and better prepare for competition, consolidation and growth. The organisers expect around 100 delegates at the Forum. The event is organised as an interactive experience where delegates will be able to participate in discussions during presentations, as well as numerous business mixer opportunities.
Forum brochure
Food and drink is one of the top categories of goods traded between the UK and Poland, along with automotive, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Although Poland sells far more food and drink to the UK than the other way, growth in trade in both directions has impressive, although British export performance has faltered this year.
Why? The Polish consumer has entirely avoided the global recession. Consumer spending in Poland remains robust; in September 2010 it was up by 8.7% year on year. Burgeoning middle class consumers are conveniently clustered around nine agglomerations of half a million or more, making them easier to target.
Compared to other large EU member states, Britain has singularly failed to make the most of the opportunity that Poland’s economic transformation offered its food producers. Products manufactured by French, German, Italian and Spanish food firms – large and small – are visible in Polish supermarkets and delicatessens, whereby (with some exceptions) British ones are surprisingly absent.
Key opportunities – the ready meals market is nascent in Poland, yet younger time-poor, money-rich consumers would happily avail themselves of such meals were they available. Poland could also be a good base for food processors preparing ready meals. Specialty foods – Poland’s consumers are becoming increasingly adventurous and more ready to explore new tastes. Returning migrants – Several hundred thousand Poles, having experienced Britain’s diverse cuisine, have returned to Poland, and many miss items that they liked to eat and drink, which are not available back home. Sourcing – Poland’s ideally placed to be the organic breadbasket of Europe. Large numbers of smallholdings which were never intensively farmed could easily switch to organic/wholefood production.
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