Capriovus has grown from a very small family business thanks to its extremely high level of innovation, close cooperation with local organisations and the enormous energy invested in promotion.The small family business, founded 30 years ago by Dr. Zoltán Németh, has grown into a well-established business with the help of his sons, specialising in the sale of raw eggs and various egg products to the HoReCa sector, retailers and consumers.
From a logistical point of view, Capriovus is unique in that it has a highly developed logistical management background with more than 30 own trucks behind it, whose routes are planned with the best possible utilisation in mind. In addition to its own egg production, Capriovus also buys eggs and chickens from various locations in Hungary. The truck routes are designed with backhauling in mind, which means that the trucks are driven with as few empty runs as possible and arrive back loaded after delivery. This route optimisation saves a lot of costs, pollution and time.
Everyone thinks bakers are the earliest to wake up, but that’s just an urban legend – they need fresh eggs to make the best baked goods. So between 2am and 4am every day, 30 trucks set out from the picturesque farm on the Danube to supply bakers, confectioners and retailers with the freshest eggs and egg liquids. This is where the Capriovus Ltd. egg farm and egg processing plant are located.
Eggs are a basic foodstuff, like flour or oil, so the potential for innovation may not seem significant at first, but this company has completely transformed the market with a number of innovative new products every year, such as the special process egg bar, cottage cheese analogues made from eggs, as well as coffee drinks and flavoured ‘yoghurt substitutes’, which are very popular in the elderly, among athletes and bodybuilders due to their high protein content, and also offer a good alternative for people intolerant to various milk ingredients. This innovation has allowed them to gain a foothold in several market segments, further increasing their customer base.
The question may arise: what do they do with the huge amount of waste that is generated during production and processing in such a plant?
Capriovus takes a holistic approach and says that none of the materials produced in the manufacturing process are waste, so for example egg shells are used to make animal feed, sewage sludge is used to make fertiliser and egg trays are used to make pellets, which are burned in a pellet boiler to produce heat. With this approach, they have been able to minimise the waste produced by the company and thus the environmental impact, which is exemplary.
With this innovative and sustainable approach, Capriovus is a very good example for alternative food networks to follow, as the company is constantly growing and expanding.
SUCCESS FACTORS
Highly developed logistical management: Capriovus manages all deliveries itself in all circumstances, both for retailers and consumers, which requires highly developed logistical management. Backhauling is used to minimise idle trips. Implementing own logistics requires a great deal of attention, but it offers the advantage of complete independence.
Strong focus on promotion: Capriovus’ promotional activities are very intensive, with numerous conferences and events attended by a wide range of target groups, thus presenting their products to different segments of the market. They are also very active on social media, publishing numerous posts and short videos every day, targeting younger generations.
Innovativeness: for a basic foodstuff, people choose primarily on the basis of price, rather than the producer, as is the case with eggs. But Capriovus has been able to fill several gaps in the market with its various products such as egg bars, coffee drinks and yoghurt substitutes, thanks to its innovative approach, attracting new customers year after year.
Cooperation with local organisations: for a business to keep its finger on the pulse of the food industry, it needs to cooperate with various local organisations. Capriovus has an exemplary track record in this area, as it is in contact with many small and large companies, various organisations and universities.
Sustainability: thanks to the holistic approach, the company sees all waste and by-products generated as raw materials from which new value can be created, reducing waste production and environmental impact.
Social commitment: the company supports a number of organisations, including zoos, children’s hospitals and other health institutions, thus further strengthening consumer confidence in them.
Own brand: own brand is a huge value for a business. Capriovus has created the ToTu range to directly target consumers and meet the expectations of current trends.