The company “Bambi” from Požarevac plans to invest 12 million euros this year in expanding production capacities through infrastructure expansion and the introduction of new technologies. As announced, the appearance of the current production complex will be completely changed, and a new modern factory will be built.
These investments will allow us to at least double production capacities in the next five to ten years and be ready to face all the new challenges that await us in this sector, announced Ognjen Lazić, the marketing director at “Bambi” company.
“Bambi” was first privatized in 2004 and has been operating within the “Coca-Cola HBC” group since 2019. One of the goals is to further expand sales in the region and strengthen positions, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia. Authorities note that “Coca-Cola” started distributing their products a year ago, which is already yielding significant results. In 2023, there was a sales growth of over 40% in Croatia.
The market is specific due to a strong confectionery industry. However, the fact is that, due to ownership structure, it has not progressed as much as ours because a significant part is still in state hands. Generally speaking, producers from Serbia have many recognizable brands throughout the region. And as a company, we have serious potential for growth. For instance, already in Bosnia and Herzegovina, when you stand in front of the confectionery products shelf, 80 percent of the items come from Serbia – said Dragan Stajković, the general director of “Bambi” company.
According to his words, some targeted markets at the moment include Egypt and Nigeria, where they are looking for a suitable manufacturer who could produce the “Plazma” brand according to their recipe, and then “Coca-Cola” would distribute it in that country. Similar plans are also related to Russia, where they are currently collaborating with a major customer.
The products are exported to Iraq, and in the next month, the first truck will head to Libya. Additionally, you can find “Plazma” in all major establishments in Dubai, and they have even branded a hundred taxi vehicles – emphasized Stajković.
The past year was exceptionally challenging for companies in the confectionery sector, but despite that, there was growth. Raw material prices increased by 40 to 60 percent, especially the prices of flour and butter. They later partially stabilized but did not return to the levels of 2021. This year, the biggest challenge for confectionery producers worldwide is the price of cocoa, which is exceptionally high.
Inflationary pressures are already coming from chocolate. Last year, we secured the necessary annual quantities in advance from one of our suppliers, so we are at ease and haven’t planned any price increases for our products in 2024 – highlighted Stajković.
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