Record AS Holding Exports Last Year: Vispak Achieved the Biggest Growth

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - AS Holding achieved record export results last year. With its food division, it realized a total export increase of 10 percent in 2019. Vispak with 20 percent and Tuzlanska Solana with 11 percent achieved the biggest increase in export value at the company level compared to 2018. AC Food from Velika Kladuša had a smaller base but a larger increase of 27 percent, Sprind made its first export placements, while Klas, AS Jelah, and Oaza achieved export successes at last year's level.

The current ranking on the list of AS Holding's Top 10 most significant export brands is as follows:
1. Tuzlanska so (Tuzla Salt)
2. Zlatna džezva (Golden džezva)
3. Zlatni puder (Golden Powder)
4. Tops
5. Klasov somun and other bakery products
6. Maza
7. Klasova jufka
8. Kent confectionery
9. Oaza
10. Vispak soups and stews

The United States market recorded the best result in the last four years. All member companies exporting to this demanding market achieved growth compared to 2018, while Zlatna Džezva remains the number 1 brand in the category of traditional coffees from Southeast Europe. AS Jelah and Oaza companies opened new markets in the Gulf countries.

Croatia remains the most important market in the region, followed by Slovenia, Serbia, and Macedonia. The Montenegrin market was opened in 2019 for Vispak, AC Food, and Oaza. Klas's Zlatni Puder has been on the market of this neighboring country for some time and is the undisputed leader with the largest share in the flour category.

Tops biscuits were reintroduced to the Serbian market, and in addition to the region's countries, the focus in 2020 will be on the German market, as well as strengthening positions in the US market, where there is already a strong established base and much room for further growth.

“Last year we were at the ANUGA fair in Cologne, and we are preparing for this year's SIAL in Paris. It will be an opportunity to present ourselves to the whole world as a respectable food producer in this part of Europe. We are strengthening our export capacities and increasing the physical presence of our people in the markets. In the foreseeable future, in line with AS Holding's vision of expansion beyond BiH's borders, the plan is for the Holding to have its representative offices around the world, which will mean a strategic step forward in further strengthening our export orientation. The plan for 2020 is an export growth of an additional 10 percent. We also expect the abolition of customs duties for products from BiH in Kosovo, which is our traditional export market,” said Vedad Halilović, Export Director of AS Holding.

Within AS Holding, 9 export companies operate, namely 7 in the food division: AC Food, AS Jelah, Oaza, Klas, Solana Tuzla, Sprind, and Vispak, and 2 members in the textile division: Napredak Tešanj and Fortitudo Travnik. The food division currently exports directly and indirectly to 33 countries worldwide on 5 continents.