For our standards, AS Group developed one new concept that we have almost forgotten by now: healthy capital with healthy vision in service of development of troubled, but still prospective companies.
AS Group has shown and proven that positive business, development and new jobs are still possible, despite of difficult economic situation in B&H. What is the key to the success of AS Group?
Hrvić: It is understandable that you want to be successful and useful to the people and the community. We have set some strategic objectives to ourselves, some of them being to employ a larger number of people, develop domestic, quality brands, and be among five largest food industries in the region according to power and significance. I believe we’re on a good path to achieve that. Nowadays, AS Group employs around 3,000 workers and operates in three fields: food, trade and textile.
With the acquisition of Klas Group, which besides Klas JSC Sarajevo also includes Sprind JSC Sarajevo and Mill and Bakery Ljubače, and with the brands Vispak, AS, Master, Kent and Oaza, conditions were created for launching the development of the entire BH food industry. One large system of state significance was created, which can launch processes of production of healthy and quality domestic food at a higher level and on a higher scale. This system can be beneficial for the entire chain, starting from the primary agricultural production, through manufacturing industry, to the placement of quality brands on domestic and foreign markets.
What are the export results of AS Group? Are you recording decrease or increase in income in these years of crisis?
Hrvić: We currently export to 27 countries of the world. Foreign markets recognize precisely our market advantages and competences, and those are traditional brands of Bosnian cuisine and Bosnian coffee. Vispak’s Zlatna džezva is one of the best-selling products abroad, following are Zlatni puder by Klas, Filo dough by Klas, Tajna spices, Sarajevski somun, pite by Klas, confectionery products by Master and Kent, and Oaza as one of the most awarded waters in the world, etc. We have been recording constant increase of income for a while now. Last year, AS Group generated revenues amounting to nearly 240 million BAM. We hope for this positive trend to continue, and we are also planning to increase revenues by additional 10 percent this year.
What is your message to the citizens of B&H?
Hrvić: Buy domestic products – build up Bosnia and Herzegovina! Only in this way we can survive in conditions of ruthless world market competition to which all markets are exposed, including ours. We have quality, knowledge, and abilities – let’s use them. One is for sure, Bosnians and Herzegovinians want to buy their quality domestic products. They have always wanted. By stabilizing domestic food industry conditions were created for domestic consumers to no longer be in need of buying foreign products. In this regard, I believe it is very important that we all support the “buy domestic products” concept. By buying domestic products and using domestic services we have greater chance for success. When I say “we”, I am saying that the entire country has to stand behind the “buy domestic products” concept.
(Source: kupujmodomace.ba/ photo nap)
