Polish-Swedish experience exchange in food promotion
19.02.2026
On February 17-18, "Food Business Days”, organised by Business Sweden as part of the "Try Swedish" initiative, took place in Warsaw. One of the highlights of the Swedish delegation's busy schedule was a visit to the National Support Centre for Agriculture, which runs the twin initiative "Poland Tastes Good”.
The two-day “Food Business Days” study visit bridged the gap between business and the politics and diplomacy of two European partners: the Republic of Poland and the Kingdom of Sweden. The visit was led by Peter Kullgren, Minister of Rural Affairs in Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s government. On the first day, Minister Kullgren met with Stefan Krajewski, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, while Jacek Czerniak, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, met with leaders of the agri-food industry. The reason for the visit is the record-breaking export of Polish food in 2025, including to our largest Scandinavian partner. Last year, Polish agri-food exports to Sweden totalled nearly one billion euro (€952 million – €114 million more than to the US), representing a 17% year-on-year increase.
On the second day, the Swedish delegation visited the National Support Centre for Agriculture. The meeting with Piotr Kondrasiuk, Director of the Export Support Department, was attended by Tobias Olsson, Head of the Agri-Food Production Department at the Swedish Ministry of Agriculture; Wilhelm Wojtasik, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Rural Affairs; Maria Kärnerud, Director of the Food Export Promotion Program at Business Sweden; and Grażyna Ilczuk-Acosta, Business Support Specialist at Business Sweden. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange knowledge and experiences in the promotion of agri-food products in global markets.
Poland, compared to other European Union countries, is a true success story. Since joining the EU, Polish food exports have increased more than elevenfold. Year-on-year growth reached almost 9%, driven by Poland maintaining a strong position in supply chains, recovering consumer demand in EU markets, and growing demand for Polish food in non-EU countries. For years, Poland has been a regular presence at the world’s largest and most important trade fairs, allowing Polish producers to effectively and successfully reach an increasing number of consumers on every continent.
During the meeting at the National Support Centre for Agriculture, the parties discussed the challenges facing Poland and Sweden related to food exports, priority markets, promotion mechanisms, as well as similarities and differences in approaches to promoting agri-food products. The meeting also provided an opportunity to explore areas for cooperation. The “Try Swedish” and “Poland tastes good” delegations will meet again in March at one of the largest food and beverage fairs in Asia, FOODEX Japan.