8 minute read
BANA KING Like the Name
BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO
Trifon 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.”
What sparked you to start importing bananas from “BanaKing”? Can you reveal the story?
International trade is a pillar of our economy, and no company is as synonymous with international trade in Albania as is ZICO Sh.A. ZICO began as a small import-export firm, but has since grown into one of Albania’s largest FCMG corporates. The firm’s entrepreneurial founding and internal traditions constitute a principled bedrock of values that continue guiding ZICO’s vision today. A firm without a vision limits itself to the vicious cycle of commodity-price competition. ZICO is an exception. Traditions and persistence have driven ZICO to prominence, but ZICO is by no means traditional in a negative sense. This firm’s vision isn’t limited to simply building logistics and trade infrastructure. Rather than resort to “what has worked in the past,” ZICO continuously invests to further its ability to disrupt competitive markets by integrating state-of-theart technology into its operations. ZICO is unique among Albanian firms because its leadership represents a uniquely Albanian management paradigm with international success. All this by an organization where team spirit thrives and where every stakeholder
is treated like family. Initially, ZICO began by selling, warehousing, and transporting sundry consumer goods and fruits. In its third year of operations, the firm had already built a truck fleet capable of serving the entire territory of Albania and its neighboring states. Through careful selection, persistent communication with stakeholders, and diligent management, ZICO honed its focus on trading nonseasonal fresh fruits. 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.
Why the BanaKing has the highest quality and why is so demanded on Albanian market?
The market for banana was a natural fit for ZICO’s competencies. Initially, it was hard to identify top-of-theline 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. In the beginning, there were questions of where to source bananas. The decision to source has direct implications on quality. For example, while India produces the most banana (an interesting aside: in India, bananas are used for elephant feed), Ecuador is the world’s biggest exporter of bananas. Generally, Ecuadorian bananas are superior.
Thus, procurement became easier with more information, and ZICO’s focus shifted to Ecuador. Quality was more difficult to secure, because 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. 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. It started with a handshake at one of Bana King’s Ecuadorian plantations, amid verdant Banana trees, nourished by the Machala province’s dark soils. After years of scouring the Ecuadorian countryside, building trust, and searching for superior quality, ZICO negotiated one of the largest international brand acquisitions by any Albanian firm. The acquisition was large mostly because ZICO didn’t solely acquire a brand–it acquired the entire Bana King value chain. At Bana King’s Ecuadorian plantations, green fruit is harvested and put through a rigorous selection process to ensure that each banana represents the best of its cultivar. By controlling harvesting and selection, ZICO guarantees that Bana King’s quality
remains superior, even before it’s brought to market. To ensure that the banana arrives fresh, ZICO integrates international logistics, temperature-controlled storage, and pre-market processing into a unified operation. The resulting product is remarkably consistent in quality, and welltailored for the needs of customers in Albania and beyond.
Has BanaKing any plans to widen its scope of its products by using the bananas?
Today, Bana King (officially, PREMIUM QUALITY BANANAS BANA KING) is an internationally recognized trademark registered by the World Patent and Trademark Office (WPTO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The Bana King trademark is more than its logo; the entire Bana King value chain is trademarked. But Bana King is more than surface-level marketing.
ZICO’s whole product offering is marked by corporate accountability and careful attention to detail. All of Bana King’s Ecuadorian plantations are certified by Global G.A.P (Global Good Agricultural Practices)–every Bana King import adheres to strict global safety, quality, and ecological standards. Bana King’s quality is not fictitious: the very soil it’s grown on is responsibly farmed, with sustainability techniques and no use of chemicals. Bana King originates fresh, harvested in eastern Ecuador.
After being picked in Ecuador, Bana King is transported via the world’s largest maritime shipping company, with strict quality preservation standards that ensure that their bananas remain as fresh as they were when they were picked. As they cross the Atlantic, Bana King bananas are refrigerated and monitored remotely–sub-par fruit is never accepted. Upon arriving at port, Bana King is transported in refrigerated containers to ensure its continued freshness. The banana is then processed in Bana King’s specialized facilities–one of five such facilities in Europe–utilizing Artificially Intelligent ripening and preservation systems. Bana King’s specialized process allows for its signature uniform quality. This very quality has made Bana King an internationally recognized brand. It’s no surprise that customers in North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro insist on Bana King. Bana King’s market presence is not sporadic–international distributors sign recurring contracts with Bana King, ensuring stable market
presence in the Balkans. And recently, Bana King has become available on a spot basis in Italian, Turkish, and Dutch markets. Bana King has come a long way from its humble beginnings in Albania. ZICO’s philosophy of strict qualitycontrol and efficient, international distribution is driving its expansion into nearby markets from its Albanian facilities. The firm’s goal is to establish Bana King in all countries within 24-hours of Albania via overland and maritime transportation. This way, more customers can enjoy Bana King’s superior quality– a level of quality that most established international brands cannot match.
What can we hope to see from BanaKing in the future?…
Most Albanians know about Bana King due to its strong televised presence. Noteworthy Albanian influencers have built brand awareness among Albanianspeakers internationally by showcasing their experiences. The influencers ZICO selects to represent Bana King parallel brand values and highlight product caliber. Ardit Gjebrea, Bana King’s brand ambassador, needs no introduction–he is Albania’s most famous and celebrated entertainer. Mr. Gjebrea epitomizes family-friendly, professional entertainment–reflective of Bana King’s quality and ZICO’s familial culture. Mr. Gjebrea is the “true-north” of Albanian entertainment, and lends Bana King broad exposure across several market segments. Along that same thread, influencer Alketa Vejsiu entrenches Bana King’s positioning among mothers with young children. Ms. Vejsiu’s show, “Ne Kurthin e Piter Panit,” is exclusively about talented children and features famous guests. For a rawer testament to Bana King’s quality, look no further than “Alpazar” by Mr. Agron Llakaj. Mr. Llakaj is a well-established Albanian entertainer who markets Bana King to a broader audience with an exceptionally honest voice. In addition to television, Bana King has built its presence on national radio via Mr. Enkel Demi. To build online presence, Bana King has partnered with West Side Family (a widely followed Albanian hip-hop group) and features in their music videos. Bana King’s television campaign is run to be cost efficient, despite its breadth: return on investment is maximized by carefully selecting television channels associated with desired market segments. Bana King’s advertisement focus mostly on building primary demand by highlighting fresh fruit’s health benefits and reassuring customers Bana King’s impeccably curated quality and safety standards. ZICO Sh.A.’s control of the full custodial chain, from plantation to domestic distribution, guarantees that Bana King lives up to its name. And with a name like ‘Bana King,’ there is a lot to live up to.
Bana King– like the name.
