Cerbona Élelmiszergyártó Kft. has been producing cereals for almost 30 years and has become renowned for its high-quality products with natural ingredients and a great taste. People in Hungary even connect cereal bars with the name Cerbona, and the company has continuously launched new products which have won over consumers.
As of 2011, the company’s products are also available in foreign markets. The brand Cerbona was established in 1988. The name is a combination of the two Hungarian words for cereal and grain, and says it all. Over the years, the Hungarian company has built up a range of muesli bars, cereals, and oat and grain products which meet the trends in the market and help people eat healthy food.
“We are constantly innovating our product range; however, consumers can always rely on the high quality of our products,” says Managing Director Tamás Mészáros, who has been working for the company since the year 2000. “Today, we are a strong brand in Hungary with a high acceptance among our customers. Our aim is to develop our position as a premium brand further both in our domestic market and in other countries in Europe.”
In 2011, Cerbona started its export business with a focus on Romania, Poland and the Baltic region. In the future, the company plans to expand its international activities into Scandinavia, Germany and Austria.
“We see a lot of potential for our products in the Western European market,” states Mr. Mészáros. “Our product range meets the demands of those countries in terms of quality, innovation and price-performance ratio. For this reason, we will continue investing in the expansion of our business.”
Cerbona offers a broad range of products with a high percentage of grain and oats, which can be part of a healthy diet. The portfolio comprises muesli bars, cereals, puffed rice and wheat cakes, and muesli, which are perfectly suitable for a breakfast that creates an ideal basis for a successful start into the day.
The Hungarian cereal brand has become especially renowned for its muesli bars, and its chocolate muesli bar has been the company’s flagship product for many years. “In Hungary, muesli bars are directly connected with our brand much like how other brands are synonyms for their products,” explains the Managing Director. “However, we have introduced a lot of new products to the market since 2011 which have been received very positively by consumers.”
The company’s portfolio comprises, for instance, a range of gluten-free products such as muesli bars, a dark chocolate-raspberry muesli and hazelnutcocoa pillows. The puffed rice and wheat cakes are another successful new addition to the assortment.
Cerbona also has a range of breakfast flakes and muesli bars for kids, which are especially loved by kids due to the Disney cartoons and heroes on the packaging. The firm even has a special edition with the Disney Avengers. The product spectrum is completed by the private label range Durillo, under which the company produces pasta in different varieties.
Natural ingredients and a focus on high quality throughout the entire production process have contributed significantly to the success of the Cerbona brand. “We do not use artificial flavours, but our experience to make our products as healthy and tasty as possible,” says Mr. Mészáros. “Our main target group are people with a focus on a healthy lifestyle who are looking for good and wholesome nutrition. To be able to offer them a variety in their daily diet, we are continuously working on the development of new innovations and products.”
Based on its high-quality products, new innovations and the ability to understand the demands of consumers, Cerbona has developed into the market leader in the sector for cereal and muesli bars in Hungary. In 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2013, Cerbona won the SuperBrands award. In 2012 and 2013, the brand became a MagyarBrands winner consumer brand, and in 2014 it was among the top 50 Hungarian consumer brands.
Today, the company employs 135 people at its production facility in Székesfehérvár and earns annual turnover of about eleven million EUR, two million EUR of which is generated through the export.
In the next three years, the share of exports, especially to Western Europe, will be doubled. “A healthy diet is becoming more and more important for people, and we offer the right products for their lifestyle,” points out Mr. Mészáros. “In addition, we have a team of great people that contributes to our success. For this reason I am very optimistic about our future.”
