If you’re curious about the reasons behind the surge in fresh produce exports from Egypt to Poland in 2025, AlAwwad Company can provide the answers. Selected by the FAO/EBRD team to represent Egypt, the company participated in a historic trade mission to Warsaw in November 2024 — the largest of its kind — and secured valuable new contracts that have proven highly profitable
Unlocking New Markets: A Strategic Trade Initiative
With a delegation of 35 representatives from 24 companies from Egypt and Morocco, the mission aimed to introduce Egyptian and Moroccan exporters to the dynamic and rapidly expanding Eastern European market. Each of the participants met at least 20 potential verified buyers from Poland, Czechia, Ukraine and other countries of the region and spent a very busy day visiting leading trading hubs, supermarkets and elements of fresh produce logistics to learn about the specifics of the local market.
For a AlAwwad Company, this mission was a significant milestone. Founded in 2018, this family-owned business has built a strong reputation for its commitment to quality and sustainability. Specializing in sweet potatoes, garlic, bell peppers, chili peppers, carrots, and fresh green onions, AlAwwad adheres to stringent food safety standards while ensuring direct farm-to-market connections, highlights EastFruit.
AlAwwad’s Success Story: Expanding Footprint in Poland
“We had a highly successful mission in Warsaw last November with the FAO,” says Mohamed Awwad, Founder and CEO of AlAwwad. “The trade mission, organized by FAO and EBRD, connected us with serious buyers in Warsaw. Following productive meetings, we quickly followed up and began exporting sweet potatoes and sweet peppers almost immediately. These clients also expressed interest in importing fresh garlic and carrots from Egypt to Poland. We’re thrilled with these new partnerships and eager to further expand our trade opportunities.”
As a result, Egypt has solidified its dominance in Poland’s sweet potato market. According to EastFruit, Egypt has driven a nearly sixfold surge in Poland’s sweet potato imports from 2019 to 2023, establishing itself as the primary supplier. With demand still growing, AlAwwad is well-positioned to strengthen and expand its market presence.
“The mission’s remarkable success stems from meticulous preparation,” explains Andriy Yarmak, Economist at the FAO Investment Centre and Project Leader. “We conducted an in-depth market study, optimized logistics, packaging, and pricing, and ensured compliance with all market requirements. This information was shared with participants and communicated through a series of trainings. We carefully selected only ‘export-ready’ companies for the event, and Eastern European buyers were highly satisfied with the outcomes. Remarkably, several exporters from Egypt and Morocco shipped their first containers of fresh produce to Poland the very next day after the B2B meetings!”, adds Mr. Yarmak.
Future Growth and Market Strategy
Beyond sweet potatoes, Mohamed Awwad sees growing opportunities in cherry tomatoes for Eastern and Central Europe. “Given the current market configuration, where Egypt is not yet a major player, we plant exclusively based on customer pre-season orders ahead of the season,” Awwad explains. This strategic approach ensures tailored production to meet specific market demands, enhancing competitiveness and profitability.
Impact of the Trade Mission: Strengthening Bilateral Trade Relations
The FAO/EBRD trade mission underscored the advantages of trade cooperation between Egyptian and Moroccan producers and European buyers. By fostering direct business relationships, this initiative helps exporters integrate seamlessly into European supply chains while promoting quality and standardization. However, the main goal of these missions is to help companies and associations from Egypt and Morocco learn the specifics of preparing for highly successful trade development events.
For AlAwwad and other participating companies, this mission has unlocked new business opportunities, reinforcing Egypt’s status as a very prospective supplier to the Polish and Eastern European markets. With sustained commitment to quality and innovation, Egyptian exporters are poised for continued growth in this region.
At the end of April 2025, another historical trade mission will be organized by FAO and EBRD for fresh produce exporters from Morocco to Singapore and Malaysia. Detailed information about this event is available here and at the event’s landing page.
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