The government signed a strategic partnership agreement with Kőröstej group on Thursday.
Levente Magyar, Minister of State for Economic Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade emphasised before the signing ceremony that thanks to Kőröstej, Hungarian products are becoming available and visible on the most demanding markets of the world, and the activity of the company – which is also in line with the “Opening to the East Policy” – enjoys the complete support of the government.
Kőröstej group was founded in 1989 by Lebanese-born Riad Naboulsi, who has been living in Hungary for decades. The founder emphasised that the strategic partnership is proof that the Hungarian food industry has excellent assets, and although Hungary is not a “cheese manufacturing superpower”, the products of Kőröstej occupy the best shelf spaces worldwide.
Riad Naboulsi called attention to the fact that Kőröstej has reached international recognition by manufacturing its products solely in Hungary, and the idea of relocating their production to another, maybe “cheaper” site has not even occurred to them. He said that last year they had produced 25 tons of cheese, two thirds of which had been exported.
The products of Kőröstej are present in more than 30 countries on five continents, and in many countries their Hajdú cheese is the only product representing Hungary, emphasised the founder.
Riad Naboulsi voiced his opinion that the strategic partnership also recognises the results achieved by Kőröstej using the right strategy, Hungarian raw materials, Hungarian work force and Hungarian developments.
Kőröstej expects new markets and greater recognition from the strategic partnership for top quality Hungarian food, as well as even more, internationally competitive innovative products, improved professional training and new jobs, emphasised Riad Naboulsi.
Levente Magyar emphasised in his speech that this is the 52nd strategic partnership agreement concluded by the government, and the fourth one signed with a food company.
He said that the activity of Kőröstej is exemplary in several aspects in Hungary, and though reindustrialisation is among our objectives, we shall not forget that Hungary is essentially an agricultural country. The Minister of State emphasised that the government supports every company that manufactures high value-added products also in the field of agriculture, and gives all kinds of support to these companies also because they operate in areas with a high unemployment rate.
Levente Magyar said that Kőröstej also manufactures its products in such areas (Kacsóta, Barcs, Kőröstetétlen, Hajdúböszörmény).
The fact that Kőröstej has nearly 1,000 employees and the 25 thousand tons of cheese produced by it annually are sold on the world’s most demanding markets adds further importance to the company’s activities, the Minister of State said.
The Kőröstej group comprises of five companies: Caravanes Kft, Bábel Sajt Kft., Drávatej Kft., Kőröstej Kft. and Wassim Sajt Kft.; the revenue of the group reached HUF 27 billion last year.