Via its ESS-FOOD subsidiary, the Danish Crown Group helped open up meat exports from Denmark and Europe to the countries in Southeast Asia. Meat consumption in the region has now reached a level that makes it interesting for the Danish Crown Group to have its own sales offices in several countries.

"We simply need to be even closer to our customers in Southeast Asia. There's increasing interest in meat from Europe, and particularly in Danish pork, so it's natural to expand our network of salespeople and agents by establishing our own sales offices. This means better service for our customers on a day-to-day basis, and creates the best possible foundation for boosting sales in the region," says Morten Holm, CEO of ESS-FOOD.

The market for meat in Southeast Asia has grown significantly over the past decade. The Philippines is currently the fifth-largest market for pork from Europe, and in the past year alone, exports have grown by almost 15 per cent. The growth has been driven by a combination of greater prosperity and better opportunities for distributing frozen meat products in the region.

"As a region, Southeast Asia has always had an appetite for pork, so it's only natural for us to boost our sales efforts. We already have strong exports to the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan, but there is definitely potential for more, and it wouldn't surprise me if we also end up opening our own office in Thailand at some point," says Lars Albertsen, SVP Export at Danish Crown.

The strengthened sales efforts in South East Asia will be managed from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Within a few months, the office will be supplemented with sales offices in Manila and Taiwan, while sales to Thailand and Singapore will be handled by the Vietnam office.

So far, ESS-FOOD and Danish Crown have operated separately in the region, but from now on the sales force will represent both companies, in line with Danish Crown's 4WD strategy.

"When our salespeople visit customers, pork from Danish Crown is naturally a major focus area, but it's equally important that they can offer customers the wide range of products and services that ESS-FOOD has on its shelves. In my opinion, this makes us a very attractive partner for our customers at all levels in Southeast Asia," says Morten Holm

In connection with the strengthening of the office in Ho Chi Minh City and the opening of the new offices in Manila and Taiwan, Danish Crown has decided to shut down its sales office in Singapore.