Polish Eyes are Smiling in the Emerald Isle, Where Polfrost Supplies a Growing Market
Reported by John M. Saulnier

While Corned Beef and Cabbage still ranks among Ireland’s most popular national dishes, the sumptuous aroma of boiled, baked or grilled kielbasa wafting from the traditional Polish dishes of Bigos and Bialy Barszcz are increasingly in the air in Éire these days. And a Warsaw-headquartered logistics group is playing an important role in rolling from one end of the European Union to the other Polish sausages and additional ingredients specified in authentic ethnic recipes.

When the EU expanded in 2004 to welcome Poland and other countries as new member states, ambitious Poles seeking employment abroad beat paths westward in search of opportunity. By 2006, Polish expatriates represented the second largest group of immigrants in Ireland, after British nationals. Today, only Irish-born citizens outnumber Poles in the Emerald Isle, where non-natives account for an estimated 10% of the total population of about 4.1 million.

“Most of the recent immigrants are Polish, and we are the market leader when it comes to supplying frozen foods from Poland to Ireland. In addition to meats, deliveries of huge quantities of sliced and diced frozen onions, as well as other products, are being made,” said Mark Lenssen, the Heerlen, Holland-based managing director in charge of Polfrost operations in the west and south of Europe.

Business has reportedly been so brisk lately that it has become necessary to book space on vessels well in advance of scheduled sailing s to guarantee timely passage of refrigerated containers across the Irish Sea to Dublin.

“The United Kingdom market is, of course, also very important to us,” stated the managing director. “We have become specialists for inbound-outbound shipments to Britain and Ireland, as well as to and from Russia and points further east, including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.”

Ever striving to further improve its seamless road, rail and sea bridge groupage transport service between east and west, Polfrost moves sizable shipments of frozen baked goods from Germany to England, as well as vegetables from Belgium to the UK. In the other direction, a good deal of beef and butter is dispatched eastward from Éire.

The company is looking to consolidate more loads from England and Ireland – including those bound for the growing grocery market in Poland, which according to IGD Datacentre Estimates, saw sales increase 4.29% last year to 81.07 billion euros.

With no present shortage of transport companies offering long-haul service to food producers and importers, what sets Polfrost apart from competitors?

“Experience and reputation,” stressed Mr. Lenssen. “Unlike those whom have relatively recently established logistics offices in Poland and neighboring countries, we have been doing business in the region since 1996. Furthermore, an office was opened in Holland more than four years ago, positioning us to better serve customers throughout Europe.