Strategies for Romania’s trade balance while stimulating and supporting the national production. Case study: PENNY (REWE Romania) Developed by:
Contents. Foreword "100 business ideas for Romania", an initiative launched by PENNY Romania Analysis of Romania's trade balance Round tables for the analysis of the business environment in Romania Conclusions and recommendations for balancing Romania's trade balance Statements about the project 2 4 6 14 18 26 The study “Strategies for balancing the trade balance of Romania by stimulating and supporting national production. Case study: PENNY (REWE Romania)” was realized by the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest. Authors: PhD Professor Nicolae Istudor PhD Associate Professor Lecturer Tănase Stamule PhD Lecturer Sorin Anagnoste PhD Lecturer Mihai Dinu This material can be consulted in digital format on the website: https://www.penny.ro/ in Romanian, English and German. PENNY Romania | Press contact Irina Butnaru Corporate Communications Manager & Spokesperson PENNY | REWE Romania i.butnaru@penny.ro, presa@penny.ro
| 2 3 | Foreword Tănase Stamule Dean of FABIZ-ASE Good luck, The strongest thought in our minds when we started to develop the TripluRO (3RO) project is that there is an enormous potential for developing the local production capacity. The resilience of a country depends on its ability to secure basic products, but also to be competitive in various fields. 33 years after the fall of communism, Romania's economy has turned the quality and quantity desired by customers. These 200 products were divided according to NACE code and analyzed by ASE in a complex survey that forms the basis of this document. For the most representative product categories, together with ASE, we organized round tables between February and May 2023 at the Government of Romania and the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest. We have brought to the same table professional associations and smaller or larger producers who want and have the opportunity to make 3RO products. Representatives of the authorities presented the programs and opportunities to access the funds needed for developing of these businesses. In the following pages, we present the main findings of the Strategies for balancing Romania's trade by stimulating and supporting national production survey. We are determined to continue the 3RO project. As we will develop it, we will better meet the consumers’ needs, we will bring even more value to communities, we will be able to shorten the supply chain and, through it all, we will continue to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly company. 3RO is a project designed for the medium and long term and thus offers us the chance to contribute to a healthy future for Romanian producers and for the entire Romanian economy. I congratulate the company for this business initiative and I am convinced that by the adopted strategy they will have even greater success in the Romanian market. Daniel Gross CEO PENNY Romania With trust, We are Romanians, we certainly want to buy as many Romanian products as possible. Because we live in Romania, we want to actively contribute to the smooth running of things and the development of society as a whole. Local producers, large international companies, the Romanian authorities, but also us, together with each of our retail colleagues, can play an important role in the future of the production of 100% Romanian goods. In this respect, we set our goal to end this year having 60% products with the main ingredient coming from Romania, processed and packaged in our country of our total assortment. We have taken steps to certify these products as 3RO, with the entire production vertically carried out in Romania. However, we knew from the beginning that, in order to contribute to the good of Romania, we need all the relevant actors to get involved in the development of Romanian society. In partnership with the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest (ASE), we have identified over 200 products that are either not found in Romania, or are not of into a capitalist one, and the main economic goal today is to reconquer the domestic market. The 3RO project, initiated by PENNY Romania, is fully in line with the strategic priorities of our country, helping both to increase our economic competitiveness and, implicitly, resilience, and to the growing demand of the Romanian people to consume Romanian products. We wanted the partnership between ASE and PENNY to generate projects with added value both for us, as partners, and for Romania. PENNY is the first retail company to draw attention to the fact that production is deficient in several sectors, stating that solutions and public policies are needed to stimulate local production. We, the academic field, want to be the link between the business environment and the government, to find together the best solutions to help Romanian producers place in the market the products that are missing today. The involvement, alongside PENNY, in this project is an important step in this path and shows that our society has matured, managing to generate a consistent dialogue between all relevant actors of the industry.
| 4 5 | "100 business ideas for Romania", an initiative launched by PENNY Romania In 2022, under the umbrella of the 3RO goal, PENNY launched "100 business ideas for Romania", a brave approach for the local business environment. The initiative represents a continuation of the 3RO goal undertaken in 2020 and by which we propose that, by the end of 2023, 60% of the assortment on sale in stores will have the main ingredient from Romania, be processed and packaged in our country. At PENNY we are constantly analyzing consumer trends and needs to know exactly which are the most sought products by categories and the most desired products that must always be on shelves. Therefore, we understood the need of customers to put in the shopping basket as many products as possible from local sources, fresh and of good quality. The promise to offer our customers as many products manufactured in Romania as possible was the basis of the "100 business ideas for Romania" initiative, an approach by which we want to actively contribute to the development of the local economy. The initiative is based on a volume, in the form of an informative guide, which brings together 100 business ideas, which can be implemented in our country and which would cause a significant increase in the number of products manufactured in Romania on the shelves of our stores. The business ideas contained in the volume cover a variety of fields: from the agri-food industry to the personal care products or packaging industry. In other words, we wanted to put on the table a series of development opportunities, businesses that exist or not in Romania, with the aim of issuing an invitation to all parties who want to get involved in the development of the Romanian economy. The launch of the "100 business ideas" initiative took place in November 2022, in the Aula Magna of the Academy of Economic Studies. The event gathered economy players, academic advisors and authorities to the same table, to jointly find solutions for developing the production of 3RO products. In the long term, we want the "100 business ideas" volume to inspire and generate a broad movement: understanding the need to develop Romanian vertical production from the main ingredient to the product on the shelf in order to meet the needs of consumers and to generate added value in the country. At PENNY, we are still working to accomplish the 3RO goal. We have a network of over 400 local suppliers and we do our best to be a reliable and long-lasting partner for all the domestic producers we collaborate with. At the moment, more than 800 3RO products are waiting for their customers in PENNY stores across the country. All consumers looking for Romanian products will find the 3RO symbol on the shelf next to the products in line with this goal.
| 6 7 | Analysis of Romania's trade balance At PENNY we feel the need to have local products on the shelf due to several factors: The last 10 years Consumers are looking for local products (for example, the origin is the third factor in consumer purchasing preferences after price and quality) to avoid distorting the results as a result of the conjunctural state in recent years that led to the increase in grain exports. Both the value of exports and imports of agri-food products have had a constant increase over the last 10 years, with the value of imports of agri-food products permanently higher than exports (Figure 1). Romania's trade balance reached 4.6 billion euros in 2022. The value of exports of agri-food products (except cereals) represented 8.3% of the total exports in Romania, that of imports 9.75% of the total, while the trade deficit of agri-food products (except cereals) represented 13.5% of Romania's total trade deficit in 2022. In the analysis conducted by the Academy of Economic Studies for PENNY, the international grain trade was not included for two reasons: Figure 1. Evolution of exports, imports and the trade balance for agri-food products (except for grains) in 2013-2022 Data source: INS A shorter supply chain means fresher products because their added value in the economy is low, lacking the capacity to turn cereals into goods with a higher added value. The local purchase of 3RO products helps local communities (for example, creating jobs, developing businesses to provide new products and services, contributing to local and national budgets, etc.) #1 1 2 #2 #3
| 8 9 | Figure 2. Evolution of international trade for various types of products Data source: INS Sursa datelor: INS Fresh, refrigerated or frozen pork Growing, processing and preserving fruits and vegetables Fish Patisserie products Dairy products and cheese Spirits and beer Pet food Export Export Export Export Export Export Export Import Import Import Import Import Import Import Trade balance Trade balance Trade balance Trade balance Trade balance Trade balance Trade balance A E B F C G D
| 10 11 | Figure 3. Contribution of product types from various categories to the creation of deficit in the respective category Contribution of each product type from category Fish to the creation of the trade deficit in this category Contribution of each product type from category Spirits and beer to the creation of the trade deficit in this category Contribution of each product type from category Dairy products and cheese to the creation of the trade deficit in this category 0301 Living fish 2203 Beer made from malt 0401 Milk and sour cream, non-concentrated, without added sugar / sugar substitutes 0302 Fresh or refrigerated fish 2206 Other fermented beverages, etc. 0402 Milk and sour cream, concentrated or with added sugar / sugar substitutes 0303 Frozen fish 2207 Unaltered ethanol with volume-based alcohol titer of at least 80%; ethanol and other distilled beverages, of any concentration 0403 Sour milk, yoghurt, kefir, etc. 0304 Fresh, refrigerated or frozen fish fillet and fish (also minced) 2208 Unaltered ethanol with volume-based alcohol titer below 80%; distilled beverages, brandy and other spirits 0404 Buttermilk; products obtained from natural ingredients of milk, etc. 0305 Dry, salted, brine or smoked fish, etc. 0405 Butter and other fat from milk; milk paste for sandwiches 0406 Cheese and ewe-cheese A C B 26% 34% 29% 5% 8% 54% 17% 14% 2% 4% 9% 47,5% 43% 3,1% 6,5%
| 12 13 | Evolution of the trade balance 1 3 2 Deficit The largest deficits are recorded for the following categories: Edible meat and offal deficit of 0.98 billion euros in 2022, 3.8 times higher than 10 years ago Milk and dairy products 0.72 billion euros, 4.85 times higher than 10 years ago, according to NSI Edible fruits 0.73 billion euros, 3.34 times higher than in 2013 1 3 2 4 Only four categories of agri-food products (except cereals) register a surplus. Thus, the value of exports is higher than imports in the case of the following categories: Excedent Tobacco and tobacco substitutes excess of 1.1 billion euros in 2022 Live animals 0.29 billion euros Oil seeds and fruits, industrial or medicinal plants surplus: 0.95 billion euros Animal or vegetable fats and oils 0.17 billion euros
| 14 15 | Round tables for the analysis of the business environment in Romania We launched the challenge to the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest to carry out the Strategies for balancing Romania's trade by stimulating and supporting national production survey as we proposed that by the end of 2023 we would be able to offer customers 3RO certified products in a proportion of at least 60 %. In order to achieve this goal, we started by identifying over 200 products that are either not found in Romania, or are not of the quality and quantity desired by consumers. The Academy of Economic Studies took a step forward and divided the products according to NACE code, in order to start the analysis regarding the presence and opportunities to increase the number of products on the Romanian market. * During the meetings, all competitive principles were followed. Each meeting began with a disclaimer, stating the obligation of all participants to refrain from discussions with any competitive implication.
| 16 17 | 7 1 3 5 2 4 6 For the most representative categories, between February and May 2023, round tables were organized at the Government of Romania and at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, as follows: The seven meetings were attended by representatives of relevant ministries, specialized agencies, professional associations and, obviously, the most important companies operating under the analyzed NACE codes (invited according to the size of the turnover). As a result of the round tables, more than 100 solutions emerged that the Government of Romania can implement and can have a significant impact on the national economy. According to the estimates of the Academy of Economic Studies, at least 25% of the trade deficit can be covered with the proposed actions, and the operating mode can be extended to other industries causing trade deficits. The round table regarding the industrialization of pork and fish in Romania Round table regarding the manufacture of pet food ingredients (wet food and snacks) Round table regarding growing, processing and preserving fruits and vegetables Round table regarding bottling spirits and beer Round table regarding dairy and cheese production Round table regarding manufacturing soaps, detergents, cleaning products and cosmetics Round table regarding the manufacture of pastry products and snacks
| 18 19 | Conclusions and recommendations for balancing Romania's trade balance In six months of analyzing the categories of products that consumers are looking for on the shelf, the team of the Academy of Economic Studies came to the conclusion that a coherent national strategy can lead to the almost complete coverage of the trade deficit caused by processed foods, but also by some categories of consumer goods (for example, cosmetics, detergents, etc.). Pork meat The trade deficit: Recommendations: Pork meat contributes with a deficit of 830 million euros to Romania's deficit. • The introduction of legislative regulations to limit the breeding of pigs in households only for the purpose of self-consumption; • The adoption of much more drastic coercive actions for the sale of pigs in fairs; • A separate shelf with the Made in Romania label and the implementation of a quality - labeling scheme (nationally regulated); • Absorption of European funds for infrastructure, for vertical integration and cost efficiency (especially in energy); • Creating a private - private partnership with large farmers for small households that have 1 - 2 pigs to be supported by support programs - subsidies; • The integration of farmers into the large supply chains of large farmers; • Special credit lines at IMM Invest to ensure working capital in industry. Fish Milk and dairy Main action: The trade deficit: Recommendations: Recommendations: Regarding the fish farming industry, the most important action may be the granting of subsidies per area and proven production capacity, in the form of state aid and national subsidies (on the model of those in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary). The milk and cheese industry has a negative contribution of around 400 million euros to the trade deficit. • Improving the land registry procedure by vectorization (simplified for provisional land registry) and increasing the necessary funds; • Access to resources (particularly, water), thus creating a more efficient irrigation system; • Investments in drilling wells for stability and constant access to water resources; • Establishing a cooperative that can lead to high volumes of production and long-term vision. • Supporting some investments by re-technology; • Re-introducing the protein into the finished product; • Covering the milk deficit by increasing the cattle herd by approximately 150,000 heads in re-technologized farms; • Standardizing the systems of the institutions gathering and reporting data on milk production; • Financing the establishment of milk powder factories; • Implementing a financial instrument only for the dairy processing industry; • Streamlining the management of granting subsidies, increasing the value of the subsidy granted per head of cattle, covering not only the processing or growth part, but also the logistics part; • Encouraging the sale of products by small producers directly to retail units; • Improving the collaboration between the processor, farmer and retailer, but also the modernization of storage capacities or investments in new capacities, to achieve the energy efficiency.
| 20 21 | Pet food The trade deficit: Recommendations: Pet food contributes approximately with 440 million euros to the trade deficit. • The reintroduction of the NACE code for pet food in the list of sectors eligible for financing in the future state aid scheme of the Ministry of Finance; • Relaxing the conditions for companies from other sectors that want to open a line in the food sector as well; • Increasing the processing capacities of scraps from slaughterhouses; • Better communication between employers / associations / companies and state institutions regarding the actions to be taken to support the sector. Vegetables and fruit The trade deficit: Recommendations: Although the vegetable and fruit industry should contribute positively to Romania's trade deficit, unfortunately this is not currently happening. • Implementation of legislative regulations to ensure predictability when defining vegetables and fruits as raw materials in some processing industries; • Granting subsidies for labelling, transport and packaging, thus helping Romanian producers to ensure competitive prices; • Establishment of regional centers for collection, sorting and processing; • Supporting the establishment of functional producer associations; • Establishment of a program to encourage growing Romanian varieties of vegetables in protected areas and in the field; • Granting of APIA subsidies from a minimum area of less than 300 m2; • Granting a higher score for crops in protected areas; • Supporting the supply of rural stores with local products from small farmers, reducing storage and transport costs, but also conclusion of multi-year contracts between producers and retailers. Cleaning products and cosmetics The trade deficit: Recommendations: Cleaning products, soaps and cosmetics are part of the chemical industry, a sector that contributes significantly to the trade deficit. • The reimplementation of specializations in the chemical field in technical schools; • Modernization of transport infrastructure (roads, waterways, railways); • Encouraging investments by long-term legislative predictability (especially by fiscal predictability); • The fast development of strategies regarding energy efficiency and the increase of domestic industrial production; • Organizing seminars for information on accessing funds in this industry; • To continue the steps regarding the de-bureaucratization of the approval of economic activities in the petrochemical industry; • Offering state aid to stimulate foreign investments in Romania or classifying, from a legislative point of view, certain products made in Romania as a Romanian brand; • Regarding packaging, it is recommended to introduce state aid schemes that facilitate investments in infrastructure for storage, recycling, sanitation, in key points of the country, or supporting the use of corn and wheat as raw material for alternative packaging.
| 22 23 | Pastry and snacks The trade deficit: Recommendations: The pastry and snack industry has a trade deficit of over 320 million euros. • Development of financing lines for irrigation; • Regulating sugar imports from crops treated with neonicotinoids and limiting sugar imports from markets providing different subsidies or mechanisms to reduce the selling price, thus creating unfair competition; • Granting state subsidies for the promotion of products for export; • The transposition of European laws into Romanian legislation so as not to affect the producers; • Traceability of all imported products; • Rethinking the scoring criteria for funding projects, so that the food industry and other sectors can achieve minimum scores for the eligibility criteria; • Extending the shelf life of unpackaged bakery products; • Designing financing schemes aimed at certain sectors or sub-sectors of activity in the bakery industry; • Launching financing projects specifically intended for products that meet the 3RO criteria. Spirits and beer The trade deficit: Recommendations: The spirits and beer industry is a net contributor to the state budget. A series of actions and measures taken by the government can significantly improve the trade balance. • Implementing Law 17/2014 regarding the exercise of the right to pre-emption in order to be able to use the existing infrastructure, but also the alignment of excise duty with similar levels in neighboring EU member states and the adaptation of excise duties to the purchasing power of consumers; • Guaranteeing an official sales channel for distilled products in people's households; • Establishment of joint ANAF - GARANT commissions for controls in the territory; • Involvement of customs representatives to reduce bureaucracy in the process of obtaining tax stamps; • Restoring the standards regarding this industry by people from the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Health; • Settling a state aid scheme at the Ministry of Economy for the alcoholic beverages industry.
| 24 25 | Conclusions. There are multiple actions recommended both by the authorities, but also by professional associations and producers invited to debate the current situation of the industries where they operate. Along with the actions specific to each industry, the round tables also highlighted some general measures that can be implemented to promote the shelf products that meet the 3RO criteria in order to be more easily identified by consumers. Thus, the participants mentioned the allocation of a dedicated shelf space in the large commercial networks for 3RO products, the launch of financing projects specifically intended for products that meet the 3RO criteria, as well as the establishment a promotion and awareness campaign regarding the consumption of 3RO products.
| 26 27 | Statements about the project So many colleagues work within PENNY for the development of the 3RO project - from colleagues of the Procurement department to those from the Communication, Marketing, Regulatory Affairs or Sales departments. We work together to develop the project and to contribute, together with consumers, to a 3 times better society. At the moment, over 800 products available in PENNY stores are marked on the shelf with the 3RO symbol, so that all customers who want more than Romanian products, as we like to call them, can find them as easily as possible. We strongly believe that every step we take forward - from the list of products that can be made entirely in Romania, to the analysis of these products and the categories they belong to, and to the establishment of solutions and next steps for the development of certain sectors and production facilities, can only do good for the Romanian economy and society. In 2020, we launched the 3RO goal, by which we aim for 60% of the assortment on sale in PENNY stores to have the main ingredient from Romania, to be processed and packaged in Romania. It is not an easy thing, especially since it does not depend only on us. We started this project to open a broader discussion about the needs of Romanian producers, the initiatives needed to increase production in certain product categories, but also about the opportunities that the state can make available to Romanian producers. Mihai Dinu University lector PhD, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Economics - ASE Bucharest By the 3RO round tables, we became aware of the entrepreneurial and financial potential in Romania. On the one hand, there are entire industries, old and new, that have clear opportunities to grow, to diversify their products and to modernize. Romania's agenda is also determined by what is decided at the European level, so we should not be surprised by the new trends: circular economy, short supply chain, green energy, electric car fleet, respect for the environment, employees’ safety, etc. On the other hand, the funds available at all the country's ministries are enough for developing the local businesses, which can become European players. Now, more than ever, it's time to build. Sorin Anagnoste Vice Dean FABIZ-ASE At present, our nation is facing a trade deficit in the agriculture and agri-food industry, as well as in various other sectors of the economy. PENNY's initiative is commendable in this context, as it strives to offer customers products that are sourced, processed, and packaged within Romania (TripluRO). This campaign supports the domestic market, fosters national production, and leads to an increase in demand for Romanian products and goods. The advantage of implementing this project lies in promoting an open and constructive dialogue among civil society, research and educational institutions, and the public and private sectors. The stakeholders have identified solutions to develop multiple sectors within our country. Among the proposed measures are supporting the agricultural sector and agri-food industry, promoting sectors with high value-added, investing in research and development across various economic fields, encouraging SMEs and local entrepreneurship, developing infrastructure, and promoting short supply chains. Romania's trade deficit can be balanced through the stimulation and support of domestic production, and as a result of this project, a set of integrated strategies has been identified to increase domestic production and reduce import dependence. Marek Dolezal Chief Operating Officer PENNY Romania Daniel Costache Head of Food Buying PENNY Romania
| 28 29 | Farmec products and brands are loved by consumers, and by manufacturing them here, we develop both the local and the national economy through the collaborations we have with our business partners. We support the 3RO initiative – run by PENNY, because it is part of our mission. In Farmec, we work every day to improve the technologies, facilities and opportunities in each sector in order to continue to offer authentic and quality Romanian products, made by the local workforce - people who implicitly contribute to Romanian industries. Mircea Turdean General Director Farmec We have been actively involved in PENNY's 3RO project from the very beginning, as we recognize that increasing the presence of local products in consumers' shopping baskets is a medium through which we can build a stronger, more sustainable economy, closer to our national values. At Cris-Tim, we aspire to have a greater availability of local raw materials, which leads to stimulating investments in infrastructure, technology, and, most importantly, contributes to collective prosperity by creating job opportunities in our communities and fostering the economic development of regions. By supporting local producers, we can build solid longterm partnerships that enable us to ensure the quality and continuity of supplies without relying on imports and fluctuations in the international market. I am impressed by the clarity of the goals and the exceptional organization of the conferences related to the 3RO program. I congratulate the PENNY team for the long-term vision to grow in perfect symbiosis with the sustainable development of Romania. The successful implementation of the 3RO project is vital in this respect, as it achieves all the necessary pillars: macroeconomic balance (by reducing the pressure on the trade and fiscal deficit, and inflation), the population prosperity (by increasing better-paid jobs, thanks to domestic investments), development of the local business environment (by higher added value in domestic production), environmental protection and reduction of the carbon footprint (due to the reduction of imports and the shortening of the logistics chain). I felt the huge determination and energy invested in this project, that's why I believe the implementation of the 3RO project can be one of the milestones for Romania's development in the next decade. Radu Timiș Cris-Tim Group President & Romanian Meat Association President Iancu Guda Financial Analyst 3RO aims to promote products manufactured in Romania and to support local producers. We wanted to open a discussion about the needs of these producers, the initiatives needed for the development of the industry and the opportunities offered by the state. The meetings with the authorities, professional associations and producers provided us with valuable information and possible solutions for the progress of the Romanian manufacturing industry. Monica Șerban Head of Non-food Buying PENNY Romania
| 30 31 | We are delighted to be one of the voices in the 3RO project initiated by PENNY, a program dedicated to encouraging the growth of Romanian businesses. The beer industry in Romania is profoundly national – beer is produced locally, with 97% of it being manufactured in domestic factories, the main ingredients sourced from Romania, and the products being packaged locally. We are an industry with zero tax evasion in the production chain, contributing over 500 million euros annually to the state budget. Additionally, beer generates 700 million euros of added value throughout the value chain, impacting agriculture, HoReCa, transportation, storage, and other related industries. As a transparent player, we need government programs that encourage farmers to expand their cultivated areas for hops and barley, ensuring that we maintain the entire production chain in Romania and generate significant economic growth with a positive impact on local communities. Julia Leferman CEO Brewers of Romania Association Romania is a major agricultural player in Europe and has enormous economic potential in the whole food value chain. We, the AHK Romania, would also like to consider more the food industry in our future activities. We see its great potential, especially in the context of the strategy ”From Farm to Fork”. We want to actively contribute to make agriculture part of the solution to reduce CO2 emissions and therefore, to drive the green transformation in Romania. This is why we are supporting the TripluRO (3RO) project, which is extremely important for the entire food industry in Romania. We congratulate PENNY for this initiative! The latest years have clearly showed that Romanian agriculture needs to diversify further. Currently, about 67% of the agricultural land is used for arable farming which in dry years, like 2020 and in the context of the current crisis in Ukraine, continues to be highly dependent on external influences, and therefore makes it difficult for the farmers to plan for. As a result, the income situation remains unstable and the urgently needed investments in the modernisation of agriculture, such as digitalisation, often cannot be made. On the other hand, Romania's agricultural and food trade balance is in a clear imbalance. As it is well known, Romania is one of Europe's largest exporters of agricultural products such as grain maize and oilseeds. This contrasts with very high imports of food products for Romanian consumers. The initiative of PENNY will bring an important contribution to making Romanian agriculture more resilient and providing Romanian consumers with high quality food "Made in Romania". Sebastian Metz AHK Romania President Michael Beier Coordinator of the Agriculture working group in AHK We would like to express our gratitude for the proactive efforts of our colleagues at PENNY, who have actively participated in the association's leadership over the past few years. Besides being courageous, ambitious, and well-founded, their initiative is both timely and aligned with the needs of local producers and, most importantly, consumers in Romania. The discussions held within the project brought together producers, processors, distributors, and retailers – essentially, all participants in the agri-food supply chain, as well as notable representatives and authorities. They were able to openly and constructively discuss the challenges faced by this vital sector. As a result, after each debate session, ideas and solutions were proposed that will be implemented in the nearest possible future. Together, we have identified various industries that are in need of assistance, support, and a modest amount of effort in order to flourish. We aim to all reap the product of our labour, by dedicating ourselves to the sustainable development of communities. George Bădescu Executive Director of the Association of Large Commercial Networks in Romania
| 32 33 | This material can be consulted in digital format on the website: https://www.penny.ro/ in Romanian, English and German.
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