BRIEFING: Eastern Europe’s attractiveness for the food giants

As the EU enlarges, the process of multinationals and food companies spreading in an easterly direction throughout Europe and beyond is accelerating. This is helped by freeing of duties and unified trading tariffs, along with a cheaper and well-educated labour force. This briefing discusses the opportunities to export to these so far unexploited markets, identifying the countries that offer the best opportunities, and the raw materials that each of those boast. It also looks at the potential for investing in existing companies in Eastern Europe and the possibilities of introducing new products to them. The final two chapters outline how an influx of food companies from the west to the east will also affect the already established processed foods industry and the sourcing of products. Throughout the briefing, there are comments from leading research companies and food producers.