Profile:

THE AVIETA GROUP 
Two brothers from the Czech Republic, Michael and Mark Parik founded Avieta in 1974 after buying a 16-hectare orchard in Coutisse, near Andenne (Namur Province, Belgium).

The business began with them selling their fruit crops, which then led to the manufacturing of waffles filled with fruit. They systematically added other products to their range: fruit coulis, puffed rice cakes coated with chocolate, Brussels waffles and frozen pancakes. 

Their range of products was registered under the name "Avieta" (short for "Au Vieux Tauves", the name of the place where their orchards were). The high quality of their products enabled them to increase their turnover very quickly as they broadened their customer base into the retail and foodservice trade. 

Following the revolution of Prague in 1990, the Parik brothers decided to invest in their country of origin. They created "Delta", a new company in Prague. As this company developed fast, they decided to move permanently to the Czech Republic in 1993.

Shortly before this, Patrick Limauge, an administrator of the company Setag, joined the Managing Board of Avieta. In 1995, he became the major shareholder of the company.

In 1999, Avieta acquired the company Narda, established in Zonhoven, in the northern part of Belgium. This company specialises in the manufacturing of Speculoos (a type of caramelised biscuit), sweet Belgian waffles and traditional local chocolate cakes. This acquisition enables Avieta to offer its customers a broader range of high quality products and to increase its commercial strength across Europe.

Today, the Avieta group supplies its products to larger retailers and wholesalers in Belgium and exports all across Europe through local partners and privately owned labels.

Avieta prides itself in constantly improving all aspects of the manufacturing process of its products: production, storage, packaging and freezing. They are renowned for their flexibility and adaptability to their client's requirements, their quality control, their punctual deliveries, their ability to vary their packaging around their customers' needs, and their prompt reaction to private labelling requests.

It is therefore not surprising to learn that Avieta's turnover has gone from BEF 82 million in 1997 to more than BEF 300 million (€ 7,5 million) in 2000.