EUROPE

the southern states of the U . S and France , thanks to its geographical proximity .”

As well as its presence in these markets Confectionary Holding has also launched an online shop in the last few years , with over 35 percent of the sales in its first year of operation coming from international customers . The fact that 70 percent of purchasers order a mix of brands from the website is a particular highlight for the company which also reports that classic nougats and Christmas gift packs were the most popular products .

Confectionary Holding has been looking at promoting its presence in Eastern Europe , too , as well as exploring opportunities in Africa . And recently the group has started working with China , where local knowledge is key . Cortijos explains : “ To make progress within the Chinese market , we have been working closely with our distributors to provide the right product portfolio for the customers . For example , having the wrong colour packaging could have meant that a product failed in China , so we have been able to make small adaptations using feedback from our distributors to improve our sales .”

All of this activity illustrates the group ’ s global vision – and the importance of its supply chain . “ Being agile as a company and in our supply chain is one of the pillars of our overall strategy ,” says Cortijos , who also highlights that agility is particularly important thanks to its customers ’ seasonal buying behaviour . “ We have a very short

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