In Romania, the network controlled by Poland’s investment fund Enterprise Investors owns over 250 stores, being the second largest retailer after Mega Image.
“The number of local meat, dairy, cold cuts or bakery producers that collaborate with Profi goes beyond 200”. These include Five Continents, Simultan, Lactag or Horticola.
“In the meat, dairy, cold cuts or bakery sectors, the offer is rising and producers are thus easier to find. The situation of local vegetable and fruit producers is more difficult, not because they are hard to find, but because the packaging the use is not standardized despite the good quality of their products,” adds Costinas.
Profi currently collaborates with a series of local vegetable and fruit producers, but Costinas states logistics issues and the offer seasonality stand in the way of partnerships.
Profi owns three logistics platforms for these products, in Bucharest, Cluj and Timisoara. “In the future, we are also targeting other areas that should secure us nationwide coverage,” says Costinas.
Profi, with revenue of around EUR330 million last year, collaborates with local producers both for the sale of their brands and for private label production, particularly on the cold cuts and dairy products categories.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)