Nestlé celebrates 20 years of business in Poland

New ways to reach consumers in Europe’s fastest-growing market for e-commerce, coupled with products tailored to meet local needs, have helped Nestlé Poland grow its business year on year for two decades.

Nestlé Poland is celebrating 20 years of providing tastier and healthier options in a variety of product categories from its portfolio of global and local brands.

Close to consumers

“Nestlé is a global company, but it is also a very local company,” said Pierre Detry, Head of Nestlé Poland. “We are part of the communities in which we operate.

“In spite of the challenging economic environment in Europe, we continue to invest in our business, our people, and our brands, and to embrace new opportunities for growth.

“We have invested about 164 billion Polish Zloty (about EUR 400 million) in Poland since we began our operations here in 1993.”

Driving growth

The success of Nestlé’s ‘coffee-shop-at-home’ beverage system Nescafé Dolce Gusto in Poland reflects how the company is continuing to drive the growth of its business in Europe through innovation.

The system, which can make 30 different hot and cold beverages including cappuccino, hot chocolate and iced tea, has seen strong sales in Poland since it was launched in 2008.

Its online sales model is proving increasingly appealing in a country that according to a recent study by the Centre for Retail Research was the fastest-growing market for e-commerce in the European Union in 2012.

Culinary heritage

Nestlé’s biggest brand in Poland by sales is Winiary, which offers a range of culinary products including seasonings, sauces, soups and bouillons.

Among the most popular are Winiary soups. Based on traditional recipes such as red borsch, about 34 million portions are being eaten by Polish consumers every month.

The company has used the brand’s strong culinary heritage as a platform from which to launch a nationwide initiative to help improve teenagers’ eating habits.

The ‘Live Tasty and Healthy’ programme is designed to teach young people how to cook nutritious meals and how to read product labels correctly, while encouraging them to eat more meals with their families and to avoid wasting food.

Today more than a quarter of all Polish junior high schools are participating in the programme, which has reached a total of more than 200,000 students in the past three years.

Balanced diet

As part of Nestlé Poland’s nutrition, health and wellness agenda, the company introduced a new mobile application for the iPhone and Android to encourage more consumers to eat a balanced diet in 2012.

The ‘Posilkomierz’ app asks users to complete a questionnaire about their diet and eating habits. It then assigns them a nutrition personality type such as ‘workaholic’ or ‘late night eater’.

Every day the app sends users reminders to eat regular meals at specific times. It also offers nutrition tips three times a day, such as how to include more fibre in your diet.

Nestlé in Poland

Nestlé set up its first operating company in Poland in 1993.

In 1994 the company acquired the Polish confectionery business Goplana, followed by Winiary in 1995, Poland’s biggest culinary company.

Today Nestlé has nine factories in Poland, which manufacture a range of products including confectionery, ice cream, cereal, culinary, and bottled water.

In 2012, the company’s sales in Poland reached 2.7 billion Polish Zloty (almost CHF 800 million).