Brdo pri Kranju, 10 April (STA) - Slovenia needs to build a strong brand in order to boost its exports, heard a round table debate at an exports conference in Brdo pri Kranju on Wednesday. This would allow businesses to be more successful in markets that are not in Slovenia's immediate vicinity.
While Spain, Italy and France have no problem selling their prosciutto, wine and cheese all over the world, Slovenian food companies have a harder time selling their products in remote markets.
"We have no problems ... in neighbouring countries and the markets of the former Yugoslavia. But we do face more problems when we venture out a bit more. Our recognisability drops when we get about 500 kilometres away from Slovenia," said Izidor Krivec, the boss of Celjske Mesnine, a meet producer.
According to Jernej Tovšak of the Economic Development and Technology Ministry, building the country's brand was a key priority for the government.
In June, the ministry will issue a call for applications in which EUR 7m will be available to build Slovenia's brands. As part of the call, companies will also be able to present their products in showrooms across the world.
Tovšak, as well as several other participants in the debate, underlined the need to work together in foreign markets. "The further away we go, the more we need to work together."
Meanwhile, Marko Gorjup, the boss of automotive supplier TPV, praised Slovenia's economic diplomacy. "There is ever more help from the state, we can really rely on economic diplomacy."
Moreover, the SPIRIT investment agency will continue to build on Slovenia's Green. Creative. Smart. brand as part of Slovenia's participation at various fairs worldwide.
GZS director general Sonja Šmuc meanwhile pointed out that efforts to boost Slovenia's brand were too fragmented, involving some 30 different state bodies and as many as 100 organisations representing the industry, adding that not all of them cooperated with each other.
When asked why more companies did not decide to branch out to foreign markets, SPIRIT acting director Ajda Cuderman said: "In Slovenia, most people are ashamed to ask for help."
Simon Pöpperl of the Slovenian-German Chamber of Commerce said it was natural that companies did not know everything about markets that were new to them, which was why advisers played a key role when German companies were entering new markets.