{{Short description|Polish multinational food company}} {{About|the Polish company|the spacecraft instrument|MASPEX}} {{Infobox company | name = | logo = | type = Partnership limited by shares | image = File:ZAJ0207a.jpg | ticker_symbol = | founded = {{start date|1990}} | founders = | hq_location_city = Wadowice | hq_location_country = Poland | key_people = Krzysztof Pawiński | num_employees = 9,200 (2021)<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ey.com/en_pl/news/2021/11/ey-advised-maspex-acquisition-cedc | title = EY advised Maspex Group in the acquisition process of CEDC – a milestone deal in the CEE spirits industry | access-date = 27 February 2022 | archive-date = 25 November 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231125194807/https://www.ey.com/en_pl/news/2021/11/ey-advised-maspex-acquisition-cedc | url-status = dead }}</ref> | industry = Food industry | products = juice, instant products, pasta | brands = {{collapsible list| * Absolwent * Bols * Coffeeta * Kubuś * Lubella * Malma * Soplica * Tiger Energy Drink * Tymbark * Żubrówka }} | revenue = $3.7 billion (2023) | equity = $1 billion (2016) | website = {{URL|http://www.maspex.com/|www.maspex.com}} }} thumb|262px|Company logo '''Grupa Maspex Wadowice''' (short: ''Maspex'') is a Polish multinational food company headquartered in Wadowice, Poland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GRUPA MASPEX (KRS 0000898248) |url=https://podmioty.pl/company/0000898248 |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=podmioty.pl |archive-date=30 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830230013/https://podmioty.pl/company/0000898248 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It has developed mostly through acquisitions in Central and Eastern Europe and has become the owner of more than 20 companies and one of the largest food producers in this region.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.kpt.krakow.pl/en/startups/poland-prize-powered-by-kpt/kpt-scaleup-accelerator/maspex/ |title=Maspex |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>
==History== The company was founded in 1990. In 1993, it started the production of fruit tea, coffee and chocolate. In 1995, Maspex acquired Polska Żywność S.A. which specialized in the production of fruit and vegetable juices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tatar |first=Magdalena |date=2017-09-08 |title=Maspex |url=https://finanse.wp.pl/maspex-6163615317358721c |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=finanse.wp.pl |language=pl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=O firmie |url=https://maspex.com/o-firmie/ |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=maspex.com |language=pl-PL}}</ref> Between 1998–1999, the company opened its first stores abroad in the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://maspex.com/en/about-us/ |title=About us |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref> In 1999 Maspex acquired Anin and Tymbark.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex, czyli jak Pawiński zbudował swoje imperium |url=https://www.forbes.pl/przywodztwo/maspex-jak-krzysztof-pawinski-zbudowal-swoje-imperium/z4nmdlb |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Forbes.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
In 2000, the company opened a juice and beverage factory in Tychy. Two years later, other Maspex companies were established in Kaliningrad and Moscow. In March 2003, the Maspex Group purchased the Lubella company,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex: Lubella uruchamia kompleks produkcyjny i centrum logistyczne za 130 mln zł (zdjęcia) - Zboża oleiste |url=https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/zboza/wiadomosci/maspex-lubella-uruchamia-kompleks-produkcyjny-i-centrum-logistyczne-za-130-mln-zl-zdjecia,158554.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=www.portalspozywczy.pl |language=pl}}</ref> thus extending its offer to include pasta, breakfast cereals, groats and flours. In September of the same year, the Group bought shares of Polski Lek – a producer of vitamin preparations and effervescent tablets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cudowny lek z Wadowic |url=https://www.forbes.pl/przywodztwo/cudowny-lek-z-wadowic/x7f1m4q |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Forbes.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
In 2004, the company established a representative office in Ukraine, and in December of the same year it purchased a part of Walmark, a company dealing in the production of juices for the Czech and Slovak markets, and all shares of Olympos – a Hungarian producer of juices, nectars and fruit drinks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex na zakupach na Węgrzech |url=https://biznes.interia.pl/firma/news-maspex-na-zakupach-na-wegrzech,nId,3492842 |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=biznes.interia.pl |language=pl}}</ref> In 2005, the group acquired shares in: Plusssz Vitamin Kft, Apenta (a brand of Hungarian mineral water) and Queen's – a Bulgarian juice producer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex, czyli jak Pawiński zbudował swoje imperium |url=https://www.forbes.pl/przywodztwo/maspex-jak-krzysztof-pawinski-zbudowal-swoje-imperium/z4nmdlb |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=Forbes.pl |language=pl}}</ref>
Two years later, in Romania, Maspex acquired shares in Arnos – a pasta producer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Klemens Budzowski. Ekonomiczne problemy handlu międzynarodowego |url=https://repozytorium.ka.edu.pl/bitstream/handle/11315/1750/Ekonomiczne_problemy_handlu_mi%C4%99dzynarodowego_Budzowski_Klemens_2008.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |access-date=2022-03-15 |archive-date=2022-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712172619/https://repozytorium.ka.edu.pl/bitstream/handle/11315/1750/Ekonomiczne_problemy_handlu_mi%C4%99dzynarodowego_Budzowski_Klemens_2008.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2009, the Logistics Center in Tychy was launched.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex wybudował Centrum Logistyczne za 130 mln zł - Owoce warzywa |url=https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/owoce-warzywa/wiadomosci/maspex-wybudowal-centrum-logistyczne-za-130-mln-zl,18194.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=www.portalspozywczy.pl |language=pl}}</ref> In the same year, Maspex opened a production and warehouse complex in Romania.<ref>{{Cite web |title=O firmie |url=https://maspex.com/o-firmie/ |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=maspex.com |language=pl-PL}}</ref> In 2010, the Group entered the category of energy drinks by starting cooperation with the "Equal Opportunities" Foundation and Dariusz Tiger Michalczewski. In 2011, the company was present in 30 countries in Europe but also in the USA and Canada.<ref>{{Citation |title=Klaus Geppert zum 10. März 2011 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9783899497298.v |work=Festschrift für Klaus Geppert zum 70. Geburtstag am 10. März 2011 |place=Berlin, New York |publisher=DE GRUYTER |access-date=2022-10-19}}</ref> In 2012, the company from Wadowice purchased Salatini and Capollini, Romanian brands of pretzels and crackers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex rozwija się w Rumunii - Napoje kawa herbata |url=https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/napoje/wiadomosci/maspex-rozwija-sie-w-rumunii,90910.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=www.portalspozywczy.pl |language=pl}}</ref> In 2018, Maspex launched a production complex and a logistics center at the Lubella plant in Lublin,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lubella uruchamia nowoczesny kompleks produkcyjny i centrum logistyczne [ZDJĘCIA] |url=https://superbiz.se.pl/firma/lubella-uruchamia-nowoczesny-kompleks-produkcyjny-i-centrum-logistyczne-o-wartosci-130-mln-zl-aa-yZ2N-H7nP-JE2f.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=superbiz.se.pl}}</ref> and then opened a production and logistics complex at the Tymbark plant in Olsztynek.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Polska |first=Grupa Wirtualna |title=Maspex otworzył w Olsztynku kompleks produkcyjno-logistyczny za 170 mln zł |url=https://www.money.pl/gielda/wiadomosci/artykul/maspex-otworzyl-w-olsztynku-kompleks,55,0,2409271.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=www.money.pl |language=pl-PL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Wyborcza.pl |url=https://olsztyn.wyborcza.pl/olsztyn/7,48726,23580539,maspex-otwiera-w-olsztynku-nowoczesny-kompleks.html?disableRedirects=true |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=olsztyn.wyborcza.pl}}</ref>
Since 2019, on the basis of an agreement with the Swiss concern Nestlé, Maspex has an exclusive license for the production and distribution of Nestea tea drinks in most Central European markets. Initially, from June, it only covered Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, but in January 2020 it was extended to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maspex nowym partnerem Nestlé Waters w zakresie produkcji i sprzedaży napojów Nestea - Napoje kawa herbata |url=https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/napoje/wiadomosci/maspex-nowym-partnerem-nestl-waters-w-zakresie-produkcji-i-sprzedazy-napojow-nestea,181254.html |access-date=2022-03-15 |website=www.portalspozywczy.pl |language=pl}}</ref> In February 2022, Maspex Group acquired the Żubrówka, Soplica, Absolwent and Bols alcohol brands from the Russian company Roust International for $980 million.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/polish-vodka-brands-have-returned-from-russian-hands-28215 |title=Polish vodka brands have returned from Russian hands |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://cs.eureporter.co/world/poland/2021/11/08/the-polish-maspex-group-buys-the-famous-zubrowka-brand-from-the-russian-group-for-almost-a-billion-dollars/ |language=Czech |title=Polská skupina Maspex kupuje od ruské skupiny slavnou značku Żubrówka za téměř miliardu dolarů |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.tvp.info/58752712/zubrowka-bols-i-soplica-znowu-polskie-maspex-sfinalizowal-przejecie-cedc-international-i-praw-do-jej-marek |language=pl |title=Żubrówka, Bols i Soplica znowu polskie. Maspex przejął w końcu od Rosjan nasze marki |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>
==Products== The company owns 63 brands and offers a total of over 2,300 products.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/polish-vodka-brands-have-returned-from-russian-hands-28215 |title=Polish vodka brands have returned from Russian hands |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref> Some of the brands offered by Maspex include Kubuś and Tymbark, Life (fruit juice), Coffeeta (coffee cream powder) and Lubella (pasta).
==Social campaigns== The company has been involved in a number of social campaigns such as the Tymbark Cup football tournament organized by the Polish Football Association, which since 2007 has been sponsored by Tymbark, one of the brands controlled by the Maspex Group. It is aimed at searching for young talents and promoting football among schoolchildren. It confers titles of Polish Champion in various age categories both in the boys' and girls' divisions, the final matches being played at the National Stadium in Warsaw.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://sport.onet.pl/pilka-nozna/uczestnicy-z-podworka-na-stadion-spotkali-sie-z-kadrowiczami/ewy7y82 |language=pl |title=Najmłodsi z radami dla reprezentacji przed mundialem |access-date=27 July 2022}}</ref> The tournament has started the careers of such players as Piotr Zieliński, Paulina Dudek and Arkadiusz Milik.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pomorski-zpn.pl/pod-patronatem-zpn/turniej-z-podworka-na-stadion-o-puchar-tymbarku/xvii-edycja-turnieju-z-podworka-na-stadion-o-puchar-tymbarku |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207034339/http://www.pomorski-zpn.pl/pod-patronatem-zpn/turniej-z-podworka-na-stadion-o-puchar-tymbarku/xvii-edycja-turnieju-z-podworka-na-stadion-o-puchar-tymbarku |archive-date=2017-02-07 |language=pl |title= XVII edycja turnieju "Z podwórka na stadion o Puchar Tymbarku" |access-date=27 July 2022}}</ref>
The Kubuś Friends of Nature (''Kubusiowi Przyjaciele Natury'') is an educational project supported by the Kubuś brand, which raises ecological awareness among children in kindergartens across Poland.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/napoje/wiadomosci/ruszyla-akcja-edukacyjna-quot-kubusiowi-przyjaciele-natury-quot,137530.html |language= pl |title=Ruszyła akcja edukacyjna "Kubusiowi Przyjaciele Natury" |access-date=27 July 2022}}</ref>
Since 2018, the company has been participating in the ''Parasol Historii'' project, whose objective is to uphold the memory of the Warsaw Uprising and the people who took part in it. As part of the project, the company provides help to the still living veterans of the uprising and conducts educational activities under the aegis of the Warsaw Rising Museum.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://niezalezna.pl/218735-parasol-historii-wspomnienie-44-rusza-kolejny-wazny-projekt |language=pl |title=Parasol Historii. Wspomnienie’ 44 - Maspex i Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego realizują projekt edukacyjny |access-date=27 July 2022}}</ref>
==See also== *Economy of Poland *List of companies of Poland *List of food companies
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Food and drink companies established in 1990 Category:Food and drink companies of Poland Category:Polish brands Category:Multinational companies headquartered in Poland Category:Polish companies established in 1990