Plivit Trade
Plivit Trade AB is Scandinavia's largest distributor of Balkan and Southeastern European food, importing and distributing over 1,000 products — including iconic brands like Vegeta and Podravka plus own-label Plivit — to Swedish grocery chains, ethnic stores, HORECA, and consumers across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersVästervik, Sweden
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Plivit Trade does
Plivit Trade AB is a family-owned food distribution company headquartered in Västervik, Sweden, founded in 1998. The company specializes in importing and distributing Balkan and Southeastern European food products across Scandinavia, operating as the largest distributor of Balkan food in the region. Its portfolio spans over 1,000 to 1,200 products across dry, chilled, frozen, and non-food categories, including approximately 300 market-leading products in their respective categories. The company distributes iconic Balkan brands including Vegeta, Podravka, Smoki, and Argeta, and has developed its own private-label Plivit brand alongside product lines such as Plivit Chark (artisanal charcuterie air-dried over beech wood) and Plivit Burek & Bakery (fresh filo pies sold through warming cabinets in Swedish grocery stores).
The company operates a 15,000 m2 dry warehouse supplemented by refrigerated and freezer storage of approximately 1,200 pallets each (invested in 2018) at its Västervik facility. Its go-to-market combines a regional field sales organization covering all major Swedish regions with an inside sales team, reaching all major Swedish grocery chains (ICA, Coop, and others), smaller grocery stores, ethnic/ethno stores, and the HORECA sector. Logistics is handled through partnerships with DHL, DB Schenker, Frigoscandia, and Postnord, with a maximum 3-day delivery window and full traceability on all deliveries.
Plivit Trade generates revenue primarily through markups on imported food distribution and sales of its own branded products, serving customers across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The company reports annual turnover exceeding 480 million SEK (representing 63% growth since 2019) and maintains a AAA credit rating from Creditsafe for over 10 years. It has expanded into direct-to-consumer sales via its plivitshop.se webshop and content marketing through the "Balkan for Beginners" recipe platform and active social media presence on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. The business remains privately held with no institutional investors, parent company, or subsidiaries identified.
Plivit Trade firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Plivit Trade
- Legal name
- Plivit Trade AB
- Website
- https://plivit-trade.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Plivit Trade AB is Scandinavia's largest distributor of Balkan and Southeastern European food, importing and distributing over 1,000 products — including iconic brands like Vegeta and Podravka plus own-label Plivit — to Swedish grocery chains, ethnic stores, HORECA, and consumers across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Plivit Trade industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Food Distribution
- NAICS
- Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty & Ethnic Grocery Wholesale (AFAIABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Religious & Cultural Foods Wholesale (Halal, Kosher, etc.) (AFAIAIAI), Ethnic Meat, Poultry & Seafood Wholesale (AFAIAIAC), International Specialty Ingredients & Import Markets (CRAHAFAL)
Keywords
Where Plivit Trade is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Västervik
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Plivit Trade business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food Import and Distribution: Import and distribution of Balkan food products to Swedish grocery chains, ethnic stores, and HORECA sector. Revenue generated through product sales with markups on imported goods.
- Own Brand Products: Sale of proprietary Plivit branded products including charcuterie (Plivit Chark), bakery items (Burek & Bakery), and own-label Balkan food products.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Plivit Trade product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Plivit Trade is Scandinavia's largest importer and distributor of Balkan and Southeastern European food products, supplying over 1,000 SKUs from iconic partner brands (Vegeta, Podravka, Smoki, Argeta) and its own Plivit private label to grocery chains, ethnic stores, and the HORECA sector. The company also develops and markets proprietary product lines including Plivit Chark (artisanal air-dried charcuterie) and Plivit Burek & Bakery (fresh filo pies distributed via in-store warming cabinets), and sells directly to consumers through the plivitshop.se webshop.
Product overview
Plivit Trade is a family-owned food distribution company specializing in Balkan and Southeastern European food products. The company operates a multi-brand portfolio consisting of its own private label brand (Plivit) along with distributing over 60+ major Balkan brands including Vegeta, Podravka, Smoki, and Argeta. The product offering includes over 1,000 products across categories such as dry goods (colonial), chilled, frozen, and non-food items. The company also operates two proprietary product lines: Plivit Chark (artisanal charcuterie) and Plivit Burek & Bakery (frozen filo pastries), plus an e-commerce webshop. Over 300 products are market leaders in their respective categories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Plivit Chark: Artisanal charcuterie products including beef (Bresaola, Zarebnica, Sudjuk, Kulen salami, pršut), pork (Pancetta, Budjola, Pecenica from Drniš, Croatia), and lamb (Stelja). All products are air-dried and cold-smoked over genuine beech wood.
- Plivit Burek & Bakery
- Balkan for Beginners
- Plivit
Products and services
- Plivit Chark Artisanal charcuterie product line including air-dried and cold-smoked beef, pork, and lamb varieties, reflecting traditional Balkan culinary heritage. Sold to retail and HORECA customers across Sweden.
- Plivit Burek & Bakery Bake-off concept featuring filo-dough pies (burek) displayed in warming cabinets within partner grocery stores across Sweden. Distributed through Coop, ICA, Hemkop, and other retailers.
- Plivit Private Label Brand Own private label brand producing a range of classic Balkan products as well as more innovative modern items, focused on quality and clean ingredient lists without additives. Distributed to grocery chains, ethnic stores, and HORECA customers.
- Plivit Trade Balkan Food Distribution Service Import and wholesale distribution of over 1,000 Balkan and southeastern European food products from partner brands including Vegeta, Podravka, Smoki, Argeta, Atlantic Grupa, Adriatic Grupa, AS Holding, Bambi, and Banjalucka pivara to Swedish grocery chains, smaller grocery stores, ethnic stores, and HORECA customers across Scandinavia.
- Plivit Shop (plivitshop.se) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce webshop for purchasing Balkan food products online, with recipe content under the Balkan for Beginners brand.
Quantifiable outcome
- 63% growth since 2019
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Plivit Trade
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Plivit Trade technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Plivit Trade partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- VegetacoreIconic Balkan brand - all-purpose seasoning created by professor Zlata Bartl in 1958 in Croatia. One of the most recognized Balkan food brands globally.
- PodravkacoreCroatian food company founded in 1934, one of the leading food companies in southeast, east, and central Europe.
- SmokicorePopular peanut snacks brand owned by Atlantic Grupa, iconic since 1972.
- ArgetacoreMeat pate brand - the most sold meat pate in Europe, produced by Atlantic Grupa.
- Atlantic GrupacoreOne of the largest companies in the Balkans with several major food brands in its portfolio.
- Adriatic GrupamajorLeading company in Europe for distribution of food from the Balkans.
- AS HoldingmajorHolds major brands from Bosnia & Herzegovina including Zlatna Dzezva coffee, Tops cookies, and Solana Tuzla salt.
- DHLminorLogistics partner for deliveries - one of the major delivery companies used.
- DB SchenkerminorLogistics partner for deliveries - one of the major delivery companies used.
- FrigoscandiaminorLogistics partner specialized in cold chain/frozen goods distribution.
- PostnordminorLogistics partner for Scandinavian deliveries.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Plivit Trade competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Atlantic Grupa: Atlantic Grupa is a major Balkan food manufacturer (Argeta, Smoki, others) and a strategic partner of Plivit; it is a key supplier in the portfolio, making it a directly comparable regional food brand owner with overlapping product categories.
- Podravka Group: Podravka is a leading Croatian/Balkan food manufacturer and one of Plivit's core brand partners (Vegeta, etc.), operating in identical product categories and serving as both an upstream supplier and a strategic comparable.
Broad incumbents
- Paulig Group: Paulig is a Finnish family-owned food company with categories spanning spices, condiments, and ethnic flavors distributed across the Nordics, comparable to Plivit's specialty/ethnic food distribution and own-brand condiment positioning.
- Lantmännen Cerealia: Lantmännen is a major Swedish agricultural and food cooperative distributing grains, baked goods, and specialty ingredients to Nordic grocery and foodservice, comparable in scale, channel breadth, and Scandinavian market reach.
- Orkla ASA: Orkla is a large Nordic/Scandinavian branded consumer goods and food company with broad grocery and household product distribution into the same grocery channels (ICA, Coop, etc.) that Plivit serves, making it a comparable regional platform player with overlapping retail relationships.
- Kavli Holding: Kavli is a Nordic food manufacturer and brand owner (including spreadable cheeses, condiments, and ethnic-adjacent categories) with deep Scandinavian grocery distribution, operating a similar multi-brand, multi-country Nordic specialty food model.
- Santa Maria AB: Santa Maria is a Sweden-based spice, condiment, and ethnic-flavor brand distributed across the Nordics; its product mix (taco kits, world-food seasonings, sauces) overlaps directly with Plivit's Balkan spice and condiment portfolio in the same retail customers.
Direct peers
- Midsona AB: Midsona is a Swedish-listed specialty and organic food company distributing health-focused and ethnic/specialty brands across the Nordics, with a multi-brand portfolio and own-label strategy that closely mirrors Plivit's model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Plivit Trade social profiles
Digital presencePlivit Trade financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Plivit Trade leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Plivit Trade funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Plivit Trade M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Plivit Trade
What does Plivit Trade do?
Plivit Trade is Scandinavia's largest importer and distributor of Balkan and Southeastern European food products, supplying over 1,000 SKUs from iconic partner brands (Vegeta, Podravka, Smoki, Argeta) and its own Plivit private label to grocery chains, ethnic stores, and the HORECA sector. The company also develops and markets proprietary product lines including Plivit Chark (artisanal air-dried charcuterie) and Plivit Burek & Bakery (fresh filo pies distributed via in-store warming cabinets), and sells directly to consumers through the plivitshop.se webshop.
Is Plivit Trade a public or private company?
Plivit Trade is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Plivit Trade founded?
Plivit Trade was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Plivit Trade based?
Plivit Trade is headquartered in Västervik, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Plivit Trade make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Food Import and Distribution is the primary driver. The others are own Brand Products.
Who are Plivit Trade's main competitors?
Others on record are Atlantic Grupa and Podravka Group. Broad incumbents are Paulig Group, Lantmännen Cerealia, Orkla ASA, Kavli Holding and Santa Maria AB. Midsona AB is listed as a direct peer.
Does Plivit Trade have an API?
No public API is recorded for Plivit Trade.
What industry is Plivit Trade in?
Plivit Trade's product category is Specialty Food Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIABAJ, Specialty & Ethnic Grocery Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAIAIAI, Religious & Cultural Foods Wholesale (Halal, Kosher, etc.). Its NAICS code is 44529 and its SIC code is 5140.