Partnerships and innovation in the offer of local products
We seek to introduce innovative local products in our offer. These initiatives give consumers access to a varied assortment, while at the same time boosting partnerships with our suppliers and stimulating the development of their skills.
PORTUGAL
Through Pingo Doce, we continued the extraordinary measure to support Portuguese producers under a protocol established with CAP (Confederation of Portuguese Farmers) – which was renewed for another three years in 2019 – by shortening the payment time to an average of 10 days to 370 suppliers in the categories of Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Fish, Cold Meats and Wine.
In 2019, strawberries from the West of Portugal, apples from the Beiras region, cherries and other small fruits, such as blueberries and raspberries, featured in several in-store communication campaigns and in leaflets with the “National Product” seal. More than 1,900 tonnes of these products were sold.
Recheio maintained its partnerships with local suppliers, having launched seven new exclusive wine references from the Alentejo and Setúbal Peninsula regions. In total, more than 92,600 litres of these regional wines were sold. Recheio also launched a new extra virgin olive oil reference produced in the Alentejo region.
POLAND
Through regular visits to production sites and the sharing of technical knowledge with suppliers, Biedronka introduced new native varieties in the Fruit and Vegetables category: Śliwka Węgierka plums, lnka and Harnaś peaches, and regional Lubelskie and Łąckie apples with a protected geographical indication, available in more than 1,100 stores. Nearly 740 tonnes of these varieties have been sold in 2019.
Since 2016 we have been selling every two weeks and in more than 500 Biedronka stores, beef (veal) whose life cycle is controlled together with the supplier, in a “field to fork” approach.
COLOMBIA
Since the start of our operations in 2013, Ara has been working to establish stable relationships and partnerships with Colombian suppliers, not only through the acquisition of Private Brand products, but also through an event that brings together all the parties: the Private Brand Congress, which in 2019, had 220 current and potential suppliers.
Ara also signed an agreement with the “Banco Agrario da Colombia” (Agricultural Bank of Colombia) to offer better credit rates to its agricultural product suppliers.
