Bulgarian producers export their products in more than 45 countries worldwide through partnership with international retail chains. The latter became clear during an info day, organized by the Society for Modern Trade (SMT). Representatives of large retail chains and companies, producing goods from various sectors such as agriculture, cannery, bakery, production of household chemistry etc. expressed the common opinion that in order to become successful on the international market the Bulgarian producer has to be competitive, I.e. to be able to create a strong, high-quality product,  which will be imposed on the market through implementation of good marketing and retail partnership, based on compliance with the commitments made.

50% of the revenues of the companies – members of the SMT are based on Bulgarian products, while at certain companies this value reaches 75 %. During the event it also became clear that 70 to 90 % of the payments of the large retail companies are directed to Bulgarian suppliers. 

The successfully released on the foreign markets products include: pasta products, vegetables, wines, household chemistry, cans, croissants, halva, nuts etc. Organic vegetables are another product with high popularity on the international market. Such vegetables are exported to Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Romania and the Scandinavian countries. The biggest producer of organic cucumbers is a Bulgarian company with total export volume of more than 8000 tones. The high quality products of the company gained the confidence of the REWE concern, which became the company’s main client and thus determines the highest share of the company export being directed to the German market- 75-80% of the production of the company is realized there. REWE is presented in Bulgaria through the “Billa” and “Penny” chains.

In regards to the realization of the agricultural production – during the present year Kaufland Bulgaria made a contract with Bulgarian producers for buying up of 6 million tons of potatoes. Thanks to the partnership with the retailer more than 20 Bulgarian companies have reached the markets in Romania, the Czech Republic and Croatia.

More than 25 Bulgarian companies have reached foreign markets through the support of ”Lidl”. According to Mrs. Milena Dragiyska-Dencheva – the Executive Director of “Lidl Bulgaria” there are constant claims that the Bulgarian producer is almost dead, nevertheless this is undeserved and underestimate the efforts of the successful Bulgarian producers.

One of the companies, realizing its production on the foreign market in partnership with the discounter is a producer of household chemistry. According to the company’s manager the partnership with the retail chains fosters the business growth, while the work with retailers includes sharing of valuable know-how, the latter providing possibilities for improving the company’s capacity.