Back to the Fruits

Poland’s organic food industry is coming into its own. Inspiration abounds, oftentimes coming out of the woodwork in the most unexpected forms. One entrepreneurial duo has started a company that has an international flavor, yet is deeply rooted in the local landscape By Matthew Czaja Among others, it comes in an iconic, nostalgic autumn-colored bottle and is the brainchild of Przemek Makowiecki and Michał Góralski. The two men followed their taste buds, started production not knowing what would happen and currently this bottled beverage brand has grown into a full-fledged company. Bombilla’s presence can be felt all over Poland. It can be found in most cafes and healthy food grocers. The company’s story will have you at hello. Drink to my health Bombilla’s parent company is known as Drink2Me, a name derived from the Picasso quote “Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can’t drink any more.” Paul McCartney immortalized the words as Picasso’s last. And we come full-circle to today. Poland is ripe with a healthy food, back to the roots craze. It’s a very natural, grass roots process as well. Organic markets are gaining in popularity all over Poland, people are setting up food cooperatives and ecological food products are taking inspiration from old local recipes that were thought to have been extinct (e.g. products based on natural fermentation). Poland is truly an agricultural giant, as the latest export figures show. According to the Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics (IERGiŻ), a state research institution that deals with Polish food production, food exports are forecast to be at €19.9 billion for 2014. Besides production ability, Poland also has a distinct culinary culture and legacy. The benefit of having to play catch up with Western economies may be that Poland is closer to its roots and thus better prepared for the organic food movement. The beginning What could be more entrepreneurial than taking the leap and following one’s passion? Makowiecki and Góralski did just that and consistently followed through to build their unique name. “As good friends, we simply wanted to do something together. Michał drank a lot of yerba mate, and I liked bubbles. It wasn’t difficult to connect the two. A year of preparation and learning and by autumn the first bottle jumped out of the pasteurizer,” said Makowiecki of the first steps. When asked about funds for the business, Makowiecki said, “The first production was funded from our own savings. [caption id="attachment_69455" align="alignright" width="300"] Image: shutterstock[/caption] We were a bit afraid. When I consider the folly that we could’ve gotten ourselves into, it seems almost comical. We decided to conquer the world with just one bottle.” They rented a warehouse in the city center and when the first batch arrived, they had no idea how it would turn out. “Luckily, we had a lot of friends located in different cities. They liked the idea and started distributing the drink among their own acquaintances. That is how the first distribution network was formed.” Consumers rewarded their efforts with increasing orders. “We worked two jobs for another year before turning to Bombilla full-time. Three years have passed since and we now have a Bombilla team. We’re not a big company, but rather a small group of people. Nonetheless, our drink is available in more places around the world,” said Makowiecki. Ethics matter The story behind the story is simple. The Bombilla website states the team’s motto: “Don’t do onto others what you wouldn’t want done to yourself.” The two men try to uphold the golden rule in their dealings with distributors, clients and consumers. “We approach the market with a consciousness of the existing trends, but Bombilla sets out to create a new product category. It’s meant to be a qualitative and an ideological alternative. Our consumers can be sure that the Bombilla beverage they drink does not contain any artificial additives. Furthermore, we don’t compromise on the quality of our ingredients or employ marketing tricks. We are proud of this. And we are observing the reaction of other brands to such an approach,” said Góralski. The bottles themselves are produced in a local glass works and decorated using safe paints. The drink aims to meet the highest European and Polish norms for a consumer product of this form. Local delivery companies and suppliers are cooperating with Drink2Me – this is done in order to limit transportation distances and protect the environment. In the same spirit, the company claims that their staff carpool when traveling, segregate recyclable materials, support bicycle and public transportation and the company’s servers are powered using renewable energy. Natural growth When we follow the production steps, it seems that Bombilla might just be a cottage industry in a bottle. The sugar is produced from real fruit, through a process of squeezing and filtering until fructose is extracted. Makowiecki and Góralski insist on this method, even though it’s not easy or cheap to perform. They claim that industrially produced sugar is stripped of the nutrients and artificial sweeteners can have unforeseen effects. Further production also follows organic methods. Simple pasteurization, the kind grandma does with strawberry preserves, does the trick. Mineral spring water is used for every batch. When asked about the staying power of the organic food market in Poland, Góralski exclaimed, “In the last few years, we are witnessing increased consumer awareness. Quality is becoming more important and people are searching for health-promoting products. These factors will become even more important with time and consequently we are convinced that this group of consumers will continue to grow. If producers would be willing to step up to the challenge, the growth dynamic of this segment will certainly increase.” Interest in organic food is increasing, Warsaw Business Journal has reported in its daily news service about the increasing interest in organic foods. Major retailers and dairy cooperative Piątnica are foreseeing more certified organic food production in the near future. Organic food sector experts predict a 15 percent annual increase in this market. EU subsidies for organic farmers are also an incentive for the sector to grow. Of course, organic doesn’t mean strictly local. South American yerba mate tea forms the basis of the drinks. The selection of flavors and fruits hails from pretty exotic places. “We carry pomegranate, acai, cranberry, mirabelle plum and dragon fruit flavors,” added Makowiecki. Available at a Klubokawiarnia near you Hipsters know where to find it. Local pub-cafes carry it. It doesn’t stop there, though. The team has distributed the drink to tea houses, yoga centers, dance schools and spas. Ethnic food chain Kuchnie Świata and Organic Farma Zdrowia mall shops display Bombilla bottles alongside exotic and local drinks. Local bakeries and produce stands are also hip enough for the mark – Bombilla doesn’t discriminate. In case you’re in Helsinki for the month, you can order a case online. National market chains also carry the brand. The distributor network includes representative locations in most major cities in Poland (Warsaw, Wrocław, Kraków, Poznań, Łódź, the Tri-City, Białystok and in the Silesian and Kujawy regions). A Czech and a British distributor have joined the team, marking a foray into foreign markets. “Bombilla is our flagship product, which sets the tone for our company. We devote most of our efforts to this product and its presence on the local and foreign markets. On the other hand, without giving away any secrets, we can assure the conscientious consumer that this is definitely not the last brand we will offer,” said Góralski about the company’s plans for the future.