BANA KING Like the Name BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO
JP TRAIBLAZING MAGAZINE
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rifon Murataj, owner of ZICO Sh.A. talks with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE about the vision of its company, its values and the journey up to date making this company one of the most unique in Albania thanks to its exceptionally Albanian management paradigm with international success.
Among all, the result of ZICO’s efforts was a major win for the Albanian consumer, and the birth of one of Albania’s most recognizable brands: Bana King. Who hasn’t tried the delicious Bana King bananas? “The market for banana was a natural fit for ZICO’s competencies. Initially, it was hard to identify top-of-the-line sources which both lived up to ZICO’s rigorous quality requirements and Balkan consumers’ willingness to pay. ZICO kept the focus on the Albanian consumer: the decision to preserve quality was made early on,” says Murataj. ZICO’s standards for quality are exceedingly high. “ZICO’s way of life and work is summarized by its slogan: “We are Quality.” ZICO’s product team demanded full oversight of the quality-control process, from planting to pre-market processing,” he states, adding “The firm’s founders didn’t settle for supplier reassurance, and traveled to Ecuador to select individual plantations themselves. This is how the story of Bana King began.”
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BUSINESS
JP TRAIBLAZING MAGAZINE