PRESS RELEASE
Sofia, 25 October 2011
Liberty FoodServices most successful Belgian investor in 2011
Liberty Food Services (LFS) is the winner of the 3rd Primus Inter Pares Award[*], a special recognition for the most successful Belgian company doing business in Bulgaria. The Belgian food and catering company received the award for its 3 million euro investment in a state-of-the-art food production facility near Sofia, which makes LFS an international player with products from Bulgarian soil.
The prize was awarded at the opening reception of the 6th Belgian Culinary Festival in the Hilton Sofia. Present at the ceremony were the Belgian ambassador to Bulgaria, H.E. Marc Michielsen, and the vice-president of the Belgian-Bulgaria-Luxemburg Business Club, Mr. Stefan Dermul.
Liberty Foods has been present on the Bulgarian market since 1999. It started as a classical catering company and expanded its activities to event services, facility management and now food production. Today LFS is the most important industrial catering company in Bulgaria, serving 25000 meals a day. The company employs 450 people in Bulgaria and had a 13 million BGN turnover in 2010.
The new production unit in Podujane (Sofia) has a state-of-the-art kitchen with a capacity to produce over 50.000 meals in 24 hours. The unit is able to produce ready-to-eat meals and frozen meals, while for export it can produce private label food products.
LFS produces meals for the canteens of large corporations such as Aurubis, Chelopech mining, Maritza East III, Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, Hospital Lozenets and many more. At the same time it is a very sophisticated catering company, with reference letters from the embassies of Belgium, Denmark, Hungary and the United States.
Runners-up: DZI and Decaphos
Insurance company DZI, owned by the Belgian bancassurance group KBC, arrived in second place. DZI, which celebrates its 65th Birthday on the Bulgarian market, conquered the 1st place in Non-Life market share according to the official data of the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission
The second runner-up is Decaphos Bulgaria, a company producing animal feed phosphate and present on the Bulgarian market since 2005. In 2011, Decaphos has finished a new, 6 million euro production facility that will increase its production five times.
Photo provided: f.l.t.r.: BBL vice-president Stefan Dermul, HE Ambassador Marc Michielsen, Philippe Rombaut (representing his brother Vincent Rombaut, CEO of Liberty Food)
SIMPLY THE BEST 2011
Nominated companies for the edition 2011
(in alphabetical order)
DECAPHOS BULGARIA
Company:Company producing animal feed phosphate which is the raw material for all the producer of compound feed for animal. Leader in animal feed phosphate for the Balkan region. 60 employees in Bulgaria. 10 mio bgn turnover in 2010. TTL investment for the past 3 year 14 mio bgn.
Statement:Present on the market since 2005. In 2010 Decaphos initiated the construction of a brand new production line (almost a new plant) which will be finished in Sept 2011. TTL investment 6 mio EUR. This will allow them to increase production output with 5 times (from 20 kt/y to 100 kt/y) and also reach the highest quality level of their product. ISO certified and GMP certification with TUV NORD has also been initiated.
DZI INSURANCE
Company:Insurance company. 836 employees in Bulgaria. 212 mio bgn turnover in 2010. Market Share of 12.8% on the BG Insurance market (source: L&NL, July 2011).
Statement:DZI insurance is part of the Belgian bancassurance group KBC. This is the company with the longest history on the Bulgarian market – in 2011 DZI is celebrating its 65th anniversary.Company offers a full range of insurance products: life insurance, general insurance and health insurance. One of the most stable insurance companies on the BG market in terms of solvency and reserves. 423 000 clients and 126 offices throughout the country. Leader in general insurance and second position in life insurance in terms of market share.
Over the last year the company has received the recognition of the clients, partners, and intermediaries through awards: “Most accurate (fair) insurer in General insurance” and “Insurer of the year”. DZI shifted to 1st place in Non-Life in market share after announcement of official data of FSC for Q2 2011.
LIBERTY FOOD SERVICES
Company:Company involved in (industrial) catering, food production, event services, facility management. 450 employees in Bulgaria. 13 mio bgn turnover in 2010. TTL investment for the past 3 year 9 mio bgn.
Statement:Present on the Bulgarian market since 1999. The company has been included in the 500 list of fastest growing companies on the Bulgarian market. Beyond any doubt the company today is the most important industrial catering company in Bulgaria serving daily meals equivalent of 25,000 meals. LFS has the best track record in regards to food safety and quality served (HACCP certified and ISO 22000). Clients list: Aurubis, Chelopech mining, Maritza East III, Kraft foods, Coca-Cola, Hospital Lozenetz, National cardio hospital.
In 2010 LFS has embarked on a major investment program: constructing the most technological advanced production kitchen in the Balkans, investing 3 mio EUR. This production unit can produce food products under private labels for export and thus LFS becomes an international player with products from Bulgarian soil – production output is 50,000 meals in 24 hours.
The applicant has provided reference letters by many companies among which: AURUBIS, EPIQ electronic assembly, EUROGATE, Embassy of Hungary, Embassy of the USA, Royal Danish Embassy, Chelopech mining, Cefin Iveko.
END OF PRESS RELEASE
Page 1 /[*]The Primus Inter Pares Award is supported financially by Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT), Bruxelles Invest & Export and the Agence wallonne à l’exportation et aux investissements étrangers (AWEX)