It is estimated that the new consumer area will be of around 8 million people.

The company was strongly supported by the President of MAAP, Franco Frigo, in order to establish an initial presence of the MAAP abroad, particularly in Eastern Europe, where it is increasingly necessary and fundamental to be directly present to compete in this difficult exports situation.

MAAP ALBANIA Sh.p.k. joins three partners: Groced (wholesalers group of Padova wholesale market), with its vice president Giancarlo Daniele, MAAP with its the director Francesco Cera and local a company specializing in trade, the A&J Sh.pk. The Managing Director will soon be named Groced’s director Alberto Filippino.

The activity of fresh produce exports from Italy to Tirana will start from October 2012, and the company expects to expand its business to supply not only fruit&vegetables, but also agro-food products in general, also carrying out, where appropriate, imports from Albania.

If this company format will work in future other similar companies could be created, in other Eastern European countries with bigger import flows. Actually MAAP is a national leader among Italian wholesale markets for exports, especially to Eastern Europe and Russia.

MAAP Albania is probably the first example of an operating company crated by an Italian wholesale markets abroad together with the private companies, that is the wholesalers: an interesting model where forces are joined to support the operational activities of the market, form which also local farmers can benefit, to increase the export possibilities through the market’s exporters.

 In this time of general economic crisis MAAP proves it doesn’t stand still, but it develops innovative ideas for and with their wholesalers and growers to face the more and more pressing competition from other countries.