Pushing national economies

What is taken for granted can suddenly change when unexpected things happen. Things over which there is no control. To relieve the pressure felt by many small producers, we adopted na agile approach and created new partnership models and innovative solutions.

Biedronka invited local producers, without the scale for a nation-wide Company, to integrate its supply chain. These producers started to supply only some of the chain’s stores in a specific region, and Biedronka had to adapt its procedures to be able to accommodate new partnerships. Many small Polish producers thus found a channel to sell their products. Dozens were eventually integrated into our supply chain.

Defending supply chains

This was also the case for Pingo Doce. As the Covid-19 outbreak began to be felt around the world, local lamb producers were unable to sell their animals due to the sharp fall in consumption of this much-appreciated product, especially during Easter. The purchase price to producers, which had already been agreed upon before the pandemic, was kept. And the support to small local producers was extended to regional suppliers of cheese, beef and delicatessen.

When the world was focused on finding the most effective way of saving lives, our attention span had to be also towards fulfilling our commitment of assuring the access to essential goods for all, regardless of the harsh context, regardless of the business challenges experienced, regardless of the economic crisis.

Buying from struggling suppliers at both national and regional levels while adjusting the payment terms of specific food categories is also to stand strong on the front line and provide a breath of fresh air during this critical situation.