Mondelez Romania: the right snacks for every moment

Demonstrating a clear commitment to leading the future of snacking, with sustainability being a distinct pillar in its Vision 2030, Mondelez continues to integrate sustainably grown ingredients into its product recipes as well as to optimise its packaging. Mateja Podgornik, Managing Director for Mondelez Romania and Slovenia, told Business Review about the company’s succes in Romania and abroad.

By Anda Sebesi

What were the biggest challenges Mondelez Romania faced in 2023?

Like every other company, Mondelēz Romania has had to navigate economic uncertainties, respond to evolving consumer preferences, and adapt to changes in the business and financial environments. Additionally, dynamic competition within the snacking industry is keeping us agile. 2023 saw us strengthening our position on the market, after the integration of the Chipita company in the previous year. Our operations have been resilient despite economic headwinds.

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What were the most important projects the company carried out in 2023?

Mondelēz continued to integrate sustainably grown ingredients into its product recipes and optimise its packaging, with the main aim of offering the right snacks for the right moments, made the right way.

The snacking market is dynamic, with consumers placing a high importance on the products they choose and the impact they have on both their personal lives and the environment. Adaptability and responsiveness are crucial in these changing times, as we strive to stay attuned to consumer preferences and maintain a constant sense of curiosity about their ever-evolving needs.

What’s the current state of the food industry and what changes should we expect to see in the coming years?

The fourth annual State of Snacking report by Mondelēz International, a global consumer trends study examining annual insights on how consumers make snacking decisions, explores how current economic challenges are affecting consumer snacking choices around the world—with a majority of respondents continuing to prioritise snacking, despite rising costs and economic challenges. This report confirms that in these trying times, consumers around the world view their favorite snacks as affordable and necessary indulgences. The company’s core categories—chocolates and biscuits—have historically been resilient to economic downturns and pricing actions.

How important are ESG and sustainability criteria for Mondelez Romania?

We are demonstrating our clear commitment to leading the future of snacking in a sustainble way, with sustainability being a distinct pillar in our Vision 2030. Mondelēz International publishes its Snacking Made Right Report every year, advancing progress against its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) priorities and delivering on the company’s mission to lead the future of snacking. This year’s report illustrates the company’s progress toward its 2025 goals, including sourcing more sustainable ingredients, helping reduce climate change, improving packaging, advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives, and supporting customers, colleagues, and communities.

What were 2023’s main challenges from a management point of view?

I think our main priorities from a management perspective are: the team, united by an inspiring vision and goals, with a special focus on wellness, and staying resilient and agile in a rapidly changing world. Management is like conducting an orchestra: everyone’s got their instrument, and the magic happens when they play together harmoniously.

What is the outlook for the food industry in 2024?

In the food industry overall, trends like sustainable practices, plant-based alternatives, and innovative flavours seem to be continuing in 2024. In the snacking world, I think of continued growth in healthier snack options, as people are increasingly mindful of what they munch on, and indulgence propositions to meet different snacking needs. We expect the snacking options to diversify even more, at the crossroads of chocolate and bakery categories.

How is Mondelez Romania approaching consumer education?

Mondelēz Romania is supporting a pioneering educational programme in Romania to shape healthy snacking habits among teenagers—”Snack Mindfully. Enjoy the Moment.” This project focuses on key issues, including choosing the right snack by reading and precisely understanding the information provided on the label; the importance of developing lifelong healthy habits by understanding the key concepts and adopting balanced nutrition through the right choices; and developing skills that support the adoption of consistent healthy eating habits to help improve health and well-being. The project has involved more than 15,000 high school teenager participants and more than 617 coordinating teachers from approximately 30 high schools across Romania so far.