FOOD UNION LAUNCHES EXPORTS TO IRAQ

Latvia’s largest dairy company and the leading ice cream producer in the Baltic countries, Food Union continues to expand its export network in the Middle East commencing export to Iraq, where Latvia-made dairy products and ice cream will be available at over 200 shopping centers in the largest cities of the country – Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Dahuk, Kirkuk, Basra, and others. Food Union products will also be sold at stores of the world’s second largest retailer Carrefour in the entire territory of Iraq.

“The first seven-ton shipment of Ekselence, Pols and Nu Fruit ice creams with special labels for the Iraqi market is already on its way to Iraq, and our ice cream will become available there on June 20, while export of a broad range of milk products will commence in July. We have agreed with our partners in Iraq that we will be shipping at least 20 tons of dairy products and ice cream to Iraq every month, therefore Iraq will become one of our strategically most important markets. We are planning to increase this amount substantially in the future,” says Normunds Staņēvičs, JSC Rīgas piena kombināts (Food Union Group) Chairman of the Board.

“Dairy products and ice cream have been highly popular in Iraq for a long, long time. Milk – mostly reconstituted (made of powder) and treated at very high temperatures (according to the UHT technology), as well as curd and cheese are the most popular dairy products in Iraq. The Iraqi dairy market is large and well-developed, and importers from Turkey and Iran are the main players on the market. Our products on the shelves of Iraqi stores will be different in being of much higher quality and in a much wider range, including Kārums sweet curd snack, RASA and Limbažu Piens cheese, Dzintars processed cheese, RASA butter and cream,” adds Normunds Staņēvičs.

Food Union is the largest dairy company in Latvia and the leading ice cream maker in the Baltic countries. Almost 70% of Food Union products made in Latvia are marketed in Latvia, while 30% is exported to more than 20 countries: Lithuania, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Great Britain, China and other countries. Commencing export to Iraq is part of the company’s expansion strategy for the Middle and Far East.