Green gastronomy

Poles spend about zł.600 million a year on health food and experts expect this figure to increase annually. Bio Planet, a firm whose majority shareholder is Green Way (Poland's biggest chain of vegetarian restaurants), is positioning itself to take a huge chunk of this market through a series of investments.

The first investment, a health-food wholesaler created by Bio Planet, will start operating soon. "There presently exist several smaller wholesalers, but there is no huge player. We intend to consolidate the market," said Sylwester Strużyna, president of the firm's board. "Bio Planet's wholesale will supply Green Way restaurants, specialty shops and all other places that sell health food and are willing to cooperate with us," added Strużyna.

However, the firm's larger aim is the creation of a chain of health-food shops, where products will be sold under their own "Bio Planet" brand. Also, by the end of 2007 the company plans to open five to seven self-service, health-food supermarkets, with several more to open in 2008. Finally, Bio Planet intends to create a packaging center within the next two years.

The combined expense of the investments will be several million złoty, so the company is searching for investors, and does not exclude cooperation or mergers with other firms in the health-food sector.

At the moment there are about 150 specialty health-food shops in Poland, though the majority are rather small and unconnected with any bigger chain. If Bio Planet's plan is a success, the company will become the biggest player in the sector.