This «pro» or «anti» supermarkets dispute is one that leads to nothing good, like many others. But, at least, we can remain with some ideas or conclusions, if we still say that we want to support the Romanian producers in the food industry. Start by saying two things:
1) And I would have liked that, at this time, we had several medium and large format chains that belong to some Romanian entrepreneurs. Now we have only a few regional chains in the country and another one with a significant (not majority) Romanian shareholding, which can reach a national chain. I think they will be able to grow healthier than those before them. In the last 10-15 years, we could have had two important food retail chains of some Romanian entrepreneurs. But one misplaced his own company (Penescu, who had a little), and another gave the suppliers, whom he did not pay (Patriciu, Mic.ro). So where were the international chains, the bad ones, in all this equation? Finally, maybe it can get better in the coming years. 2) There are public data that show that the products made in Romania are over 50% on the shelf in the medium and large stores. In some cases, 70% of the goods are reached. We look at this as customers, when we enter these medium and large stores. We also know that we are not in the position in which we have integrated all the flows, to make 100% products, or at least 90% Romanian. Only some producers manage to approach the percentage of 100%, but they still need a package that is not from us. And in all this market architecture, if we buy parsley or garlic from the market, we say that we show them to retail chains, 'to see what their sales will decrease!' If we keep saying that we support the Romanian producers, we want them to get a scale, that is: if one produces meat, eggs, bread or anything else and sells hundreds of thousands or 1 million euros annually has relatively fixed costs and has no force negotiation with others. Including with small stores that are far from its location, not to mention those medium and large. So to get the scale, that is to sell 5 million euros over a few years, or 10 million euros over 10 years, he must occupy his production capacity. And to sell to large customers. It is not his fault, the producer, that most customers are international retail chains. I repeat, maybe in a few years we will have at least one major player with significant Romanian capital. And then you, the final customer, if you like his products or you want to support him, buy his products from where you catch them. That they are in small shops, in fairs, in the banks or in large supermarket types. I no longer enter into business details like the continuity of production, which provides lower costs for that producer you say you support. In order to have continuity in production and optimize, they must have large orders, that is, we reach large stores. If that producer you say you support has a good profitability, it can be funded, it can increase. That is, his products will be even more available in the market, he can do better the competition. And so, we will be able to say in a few years that we have several local groups in the food industry with sales of hundreds of millions of euros or over 1 billion. At this moment we count them on the fingers from one hand. In conclusion: to buy what we like and where we like. It is the best form of support of our producers.
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