International BRC certification promises to significantly boost Farmi exports

The Jõhvi dairy operated by Farmi Piimatööstus, which forms part of the Nordic Milk group, has been issued with a seal of excellence by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which will enable the company to work with leading British and European retailers, producers and marketers, thereby boosting its export potential.

“The rules the British market operates to are different from those in the European Union, but the market itself is very attractive and has a lot of buying power,” remarked Ülo Kivine, the chairman of the management board of AS Farmi Piimatööstus. “It also has a long history of importing Estonian dairy products, dating all the way back to the first republic. Quite a significant proportion of our products were exported to Britain at that time. Exports don’t just play a role in expanding your sales opportunities either, but are very important to product development as well: your experiences and successes on foreign markets help you introduce and perfect products on your home market.”

Kivine says BRC certification is sought by companies looking to sell their products on the European market generally, but primarily on the British market, where strict food safety and quality requirements apply to producers. “Earning that seal of excellence will make Farmi more competitive on foreign markets, since it’s what people measure their partners’ competence by,” he explained. “If you have it, they trust your quality management system and supply chain.”

The Farmi dairy in Jõhvi produces almost 4500 tonnes of dairy products each month, of which 60% form basic products like milk, kefir, sour cream and buttermilk. The remaining 40% are products with added value.

First published in 1998, the BRC standard was developed by retailers, food industry experts and related organisations. The certificate is the leading international standard in its field and has been approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

Tere AS (www.tere.eu) and AS Farmi Piimatööstus (www.farmi.ee) form part of Estonia’s leading dairy concern Nordic Milk, whose consolidated market share on the country’s fresh milk product market is over 40%. Its product range includes more than 400 different dairy products. Its dairies in Jõhvi, Põlva and Viljandi produce in excess of 550 tonnes of milk every day. In addition to the local market, its products are exported to 25 countries. The group’s various units employ a total of 570 people.

For further information please contact:

Ülo Kivine | Chairman of the Management Board of AS Farmi Piimatööstus

E-mail: ulo.kivine@nordicmilk.eu