A delicious recipe for growth Palates around the globe are gaining a taste for Polish food and drink
P
olish food is so well-known that it has even exported vocabulary: “pierogi” and “kielbasa” are household names in many parts of the world. And the actual pierogi and kielbasa, among other Polish edibles, are becoming increasingly popular.
In 2012 Poland exported nearly €17.5 billion worth of foodstuffs, according to data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This was a record breaking year for Polish food. In 2011, the previous record year, Polish food exports were worth €5.3 billion. How fast have Polish food exports have grown? Ten years ago they were worth a quarter of the estimated 2012 figure.
by Jacek Ciesnowski Spirits riding high
One of the biggest Polish export hits is its vodka. Last year Poland exported over 7.5 million liters of vodka to the United States from January to September 2012, according to data provided by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Compared to the corresponding period of 2011, this volume rose by 15.3 percent. This makes Poland the fourth-largest exporter of vodka to the US in terms of volume, behind Sweden, France and the Netherlands. Russia, seen as Poland’s major rival in this area, ranked sixth.