James Kodor, the main shareholder in Whiteland distribution firm, has banked on a niche segment, temperature controlled distribution, since the very start of the business, even though he could not devise medium and long-term business plans because of legislative instability.
"We were among the first distributors on the Romanian market focusing on temperature controlled product transportation and storage because at that time national consumer goods distributors, the very few of them that existed then, did not provide this type of services. Once we identified this market niche, we bet on it," recounts James Kodor, general manager and partner of Whiteland, about the first few years after 1990.
Australian James Kodor came to Romania 15 years ago, at the proposal of a foreign agency that presented the Romanian market as full of investment opportunities to him. In 1993, he set up Whiteland, in which he holds 60%, jointly with a Romanian partner, a lawyer. Things have changed very much since the early '90s, when producers used to distribute their products by themselves and there were practically no nationwide distributors, he says. This is why food producers most often limited themselves to regional distribution. After some 2-3 years since the company was set up, its owners decided to speed up the nationwide expansion pace by opening several outlets and divided the entire distribution area into regions, anticipating market development. Whiteland's first partners were Germany's Hochland and Meggle producers. Hochland in 1998 opened its first plant in Romania, in Sighisoara, and then the second plant in Sovata.
"The market is developing in Romania, competition has tightened, which generates constant improvement in the quality of distribution services. The expansion of international big store chains in Romania will also contribute to market development," considers James Kodor. Romania's EU integration will bring new players on the distribution market, as well as new opportunities related to the volume of distributed commodities, as more foreign producers enter the market.
"We have several partnership proposals from foreign producers, but we are awaiting the elimination of custom duties," James Kodor adds.
Whiteland annually services over 10,000 customers and operates on all distribution channels, both in traditional and modern trade. Whiteland has recently begun an investment of some 4m euros in a new distribution centre located in Bucharest, to coordinate all territorial centres. Whiteland's logistic platform will have a storage capacity of over 3,500 pallets, a total built area of 6,000 square metres, with cross-docking facilities. The company currently operates 12 temperature-controlled warehouses.
Whiteland
Annually services over 10,000 customers and operates on all distribution channels
Has recently started a 4m-euro investment in a new distribution centre located in Bucharest
Starting this year includes 2 companies, Whiteland Logistics and Whiteland Sales & Marketing
In 2004 also entered the production segment and launched its own food brand, Don Gustosso
Has also entered the energy drinks market, launching the Tantra brand imported from Austria
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