World-class bakery Rina Europe

WORLD-CLASS BAKERY

Czech-based Rina Europe offers a wide range of high-quality bakery products. The key to its success is a return to original recipes and a 100 per cent focus on customer requirements. As a result of its location in the very heart of Europe, Rina can logistically cover not only the local market but can also serve global customers as well. Romana Moares spoke to the Czech company’s managing director Mr Svatopluk Choc about the plant’s development and plans for the future.

Rina Europe s.r.o. is one of three subsidiary companies of the Belgian Eurobakers Group (including Le Pain Quotidien, the worldwide luxury bakery network; Bellona Patis, the Belgian bakery plant; and Rina Europe s.r.o. in the Czech Republic). The group’s strategy is to provide the highest quality in the bakery sector. This strategy of ‘Making and selling top quality products with added value’, proven by a continuously rising number of customers, has been followed by all three subsidiaries, including the Czech plant. An important milestone in the company’s history came in 2014, when it became a member of the Swiss Aryzta Group.

In April 2009, a new production plant in Myslince u Nýřan was commissioned. The Rina Europe production line was built specifically for the production of viennoisserie, i.e. products made from layered dough. The objective has been to achieve at least the same quality level as is currently maintained by the Belgian sister company, Bellona Patis. Customers include the famous Le Pain Quotidien which uses purely organic raw materials for its products.

Unique in its sector

“We can offer organic products to other customers also, for whom we guarantee compliance with all standards defined for organic production as well as all hygienic measures. The new, modern production line enables us to rise and bake products during a single production process as well as to perform final product treatments (manually, if necessary) to meet specific customer requirements,” explains Svatopluk Choc.

“Our company is unique in the frozen bakery product sector because we are able to produce high-end luxury products. Our key competitive strengths are flexibility and fast customer response,” he says when asked how the company has managed to stay ahead of its competitors in the infamously difficult and demanding bakery sectors, where pressure on price is enormous.

The new production hall provides a high-standard working environment for the staff and, at the same time, the possibility of increasing production capacity and extending the portfolio. Rina Europe is a symbol of top quality, maximum commitment, passion and excellent know-how. The combination of these attributes will continue to help it win new customers both in domestic and export markets.

Alternative approach

The name Rina embodies the company’s vision: ‘R’ for Renovation (return to original recipes, the basis of exceptional flavour); ‘I’ for Innovation (focus on getting the best ingredients for the products and continuous production process and technology improvement); ‘N’ for Nature (fresh ingredients, environmental production processes and organic products); and ‘A’ for Alternative (alternative solutions to meet comprehensive customer requirements).

So what does the Czech plant make specifically? “Our product range consists of laminated bakery products divided into three technology-based groups: non-leavened, leavened and fully baked products. Our core product is a 70g butter croissant made for our

German customer,” explains Mr Choc, adding that the company is currently developing several new products in partnership with M&S UK, Tesco UK and McDonalds CZ.

Top quality production requires, naturally, top quality, reliable suppliers. In this context the managing director mentions a close partnership with Rademaker, one of the largest suppliers of production lines and their components, as well as with an important supplier of raw materials, Puratos.

Success in sophisticated markets

The Czech factory’s production line consists of three parts – Rondo Doge, Rademaker and Gouet. The management is currently considering several projects to extend production capacities, such as the automation of processing in the finished products packaging section.

“Over the past two years, we have invested considerable amounts in the modernisation of all our technology and equipment, in all sections of the production process,” stresses the managing director.

He adds that the deep-frozen bakery product sector has been stable in recent years and the company has been trying to find new opportunities in new markets in southern Europe (Italy) as well as to stabilise and expand its operations in western Europe. “About 98 per cent of the output is sold in export markets. Our core butter croissant product is exported to Aldi in Germany.”

The further strengthening of its position in key markets will remain the main task for the near future, as Svatopluk Choc confirms: “Within the next two years we would like to put down permanent roots in our currents markets in western Europe and, as I said before, find new customers in southern and eastern Europe.” Judging by the company’s growth over the past decade and its unquestionable success with customers, this objective seems more than realistic. n