SONDA

SONDA S.A. (Joint Stock Company) is a family-owned business, founded in 1993 by the Niewiadomski family. In the beginning of its operation, the company was engaged in processing fruit and vegetables at a factory in Tymienice, but quickly became specialised in the manufacture of juices and still drinks. The development of modern production infrastructure and the work of a team of ambitious young people resulted in new ideas for products and new brands being successfully marketed, i.e. Garden, Aksamitny, Poezja Smaku, and Pysio. Also, the company made new investments (in 1999 Sonda acquired a majority stake in Kujawy Fruit & Vegetable Industry Company Włocławek) and found a new investor, Enterprise Investors. In recent years SONDA S.A. has been the fastest growing company in the segment of juices, nectars and still drinks in Poland.

Sonda in Tymienice

The history of fruit and vegetable processing in Tymienice dates back to the 60s. The local factory, which for many years had belonged to the Gardening & Apiculture Cooperative and later to the Fruit & Vegetable Processing Plant in Sieradz, was bought by the Niewiadomski family on 1 April 1993. The factory became SONDA's production centre.

However, it required immediate refurbishment and investments, which the new owners were very well aware of. During the first years of its operation under the name SONDA, the company's fixed assets grew almost fourfold. In the beginning, the Tymienice-based factory continued to produce fruit and vegetable purees, jams, and pickled gherkins. In 1994 it extended its range of products to include tomato juices and concentrates. From the very beginning the company's strategy was aimed at building a recognisable image and strong brands. In 1995 the company invested in an automatic juice bottling line and began building its own sales division. In October the first carrot juices were produced in Tymienice to become SONDA's flagship product and the key to the company's market success.

In 1997 SONDA launched fruit & carrot juices sold in 0.75 l bottles. In order to support sales of the juices, the company launched its first advertising campaign. The new products helped to fill a market gap for juices in bottle family packs and quickly became a huge success on the market.

At the turn of 1997 and 1998 the company was converted into a joint stock company and its head office was relocated to the nearby town of Zduńska Wola. In May, juices under the brand name GARDEN made their debut on the market. The company's investments were growing rapidly and so were its profits, which increased fivehold.

In January 1999 SONDA S.A. acquired a majority stake (88 %) in KZPOW (Kujawy Fruit & Vegetable Industry Company) Włocławek, thus saving the then state-owned company from liquidation. At the newly acquired company a process intensive changes began covering equipment, the production process, technology, product range, organisation, and marketing operations. The newly modernised factory took over, in part, the production of juices from the Tymienice plant. In line with the owners' strategy the successive stages of SONDA's market expansion involved increasing investment outlays, which is why in 1999 the management decided to bring into the company a renowned strategic investor, Polish Enterprise Fund IV L.P., an organisation managed by Enterprise Investors. The new investor acquired an 18 % stake in SONDA.

By implementing further innovative solutions such as new GARDEN brand lines, a pioneering formula for free product extras, the juice brands Aksamitny and Poezja Smaku, and finally the fruit and carrot juice Pysio, the company's sales and market share grew rapidly. This helped SONDA to become the third largest company in Poland's juice market.

In 2002 SONDA employed about 500 people. Its annual revenues topped PLN 280m and net profit was about PLN 7m.

In 2003 SONDA merged with its competitor at that time, Agros Fortuna Sp. z o.o. (Ltd), and on 29 December 2003 acquired an over 38 % stake in Agros Nova Sp. z o.o. The Tymienice factory is today one of the company's three production plants.