We open doors to Poland for foreign companies.
Many foreign companies have a product or service that would comfortably find a market in Poland, the sixth largest economy in the European Union and a country of 38 million people. The problem is that this market runs by somewhat different rules. Business here is still built on relationships, procurement decisions take a different path, and the pace at which a Polish partner commits is rarely the pace you are used to.
We do not sell strategy on paper or a report about the Polish market. We come to meetings with you, we speak the language of both sides and we work through a network of relationships built over more than fifteen years. To partners in Poland we are not another foreign company looking for a distributor, we are a trusted intermediary who knows and understands both ends of the conversation.
For companies considering entry through acquiring a local player, we also bring M&A transaction capability. Finding an acquisition target, valuation, negotiations, this is a natural extension of organic entry, if that route makes more sense than building a position from scratch.
You tried to enter on your own and got stuck.
You sent emails, perhaps you exhibited at a trade fair. The replies were polite but led nowhere. In Poland a cold approach from an unknown foreign company rarely gets past the first filter, not because the offer is wrong, but because nobody vouched for you.
You know there is a market there, but you do not know how to start or who to talk to.
You have a product or service that makes sense in Poland. What is missing are contacts, a feel for local realities and someone who will open the right doors, not the ones everybody starts with.
You are wondering whether to buy a local company instead of building a position from scratch.
Acquiring a Polish company gives you customers, a distribution network and market credibility straight away. But it requires someone who knows the market, can find the right target and can execute the transaction.
Poland is the sixth largest economy in the European Union.
And a fragmented supplier base, heavy industrial investment and public procurement create niches here that closed in Western Europe years ago.
Companies that entered Poland five years ago are building a position today that cannot be bought. Those entering now still have a chance. In three years some of those niches will be taken.
Poland is one country but it is not one market: Warsaw, Silesia, Greater Poland and the Tricity have different industrial profiles and different buyers. Entry requires local knowledge, not a single strategy for the whole of Central Europe.
Entering Poland has two stages.
You can start with Validation.
Validation answers the question of whether and how to enter. Without it, it is hard to judge whether the product has a real market in Poland, which model to enter with and who to talk to in the first place. It is a separate stage with a separate agreement, you can stop there and make the decision yourself.
The entry stage is that decision carried out on the ground. Outreach through relationships, in Polish, with knowledge of the local rules. We do not send emails on your behalf, we go to meetings with you and negotiate alongside you.
For companies that want to enter through acquisition, Stage 2 extends into buy-side M&A, searching for a target, valuation and executing the transaction. That is a natural extension of organic entry, if that route makes more sense.
Stage 1: Market validation (4 to 6 weeks)
Before you commit time and money to entering Poland, it is worth knowing whether your product or service has a real market here and which route is the best way in. We analyse the market, assess how well your offer fits local conditions and identify 20 to 30 potential partners or customers worth reaching first. At the end we recommend an entry model matched to your situation, agent, distributor, your own company in Poland or the acquisition of a local player.
What you get after Validation:
- Market fit report for your offer in Poland
- Target market analysis with specific segments and regions
- A list of 20 to 30 potential partners and customers
- A recommended entry model with the reasoning behind it
Stage 2: Market entry (from 6 months)
We carry out the entry. Outreach in Polish and English, business meetings, negotiation of partnership and distribution agreements. We do not send emails on your behalf and we do not leave you alone at the first meetings, we are there with you as a partner who knows both sides. We prepare sales materials in Polish and English. Every month you get a progress report and the current state of talks with potential partners.
For companies that decide to enter through acquisition, Stage 2 extends into buy-side M&A, searching for targets, valuation and executing the transaction.
What you get during Stage 2:
- Active outreach to partners and customers in Polish and English
- Attendance at business meetings on your side
- Negotiation of partnership and distribution agreements
- Sales materials in Polish and English
- A monthly report on progress and the current state of talks
6 months
from the first meeting to an agreement with a Polish distribution partner
Nordic industrial supplier: first contracts in Poland within 6 months.
from the first meeting to an agreement with a Polish distribution partner
From the first conversation to the start of your entry.
Introductory call
A 30 to 45 minute meeting by phone or online. We talk about the company, the product and what you expect from the Polish market. By the end you know whether and how entering Poland makes sense in your case.
Free of charge, no obligation
Market validation
4 to 6 weeks of market analysis. We assess how your offer fits Polish conditions, identify potential partners and customers and recommend an entry model. At the end you have a report and a concrete list of companies worth approaching.
Stage 1, flat fee
Decision and start
On the basis of the Validation results you decide whether and how to enter. If yes, we sign an agreement for Stage 2 and start active outreach to partners and customers in Poland.
The week after Validation ends
Market entry
Active outreach, meetings, negotiations. A monthly progress report. First results, meaning meetings with real partners, usually come after 3 to 5 months. An agreement with a first partner usually after 6 to 9 months.
From month 2 to 3
What the owners we have worked with say.
2
Here is how we differ from the competition
Chambers of commerce and trade offices
- Generic support without market knowledge
- No personal business relationships in Poland
- A bureaucratic and slow process
- No M&A capability for an acquisition
Brzyski & Partners
- A network in Poland built over more than 15 years
- Polish and English - we talk to both sides directly
- We go to meetings with you, we do not write reports
- M&A capability if entry requires an acquisition
Market entry consultancies
- No personal network of contacts in Poland
- Second-hand knowledge of the market
- They sell strategy, they do not carry out the entry
- No transaction capability
The questions we hear most often before the first conversation.
Does entering the Polish market make sense for my company?
Market validation answers exactly that question. If our analysis says the odds are poor, we will tell you plainly before you commit more time and money. There is nothing in it for us in sending companies into a market where they have no chance.
Do you cover the whole of Poland?
Yes, though Poland is one country and several markets. Warsaw, Silesia, Greater Poland and the Tricity have different industrial profiles and different buyers. We usually recommend starting with the region where your customers actually are, rather than with the capital by default.
How long does market entry take?
First results, meaning meetings with real partners, usually come after 3 to 5 months from the start of Stage 2. An agreement with a first partner, or a first order, usually after 6 to 9 months.
Can you help with acquiring a local company?
Yes. For companies that want to enter through acquisition we run buy-side M&A in Poland, searching for targets, valuation, due diligence and negotiating the agreement. It is a natural extension of organic entry.
How are you remunerated?
Validation is a one-off flat fee. Stage 2 is a monthly retainer for the duration of the project. On the acquisition route a success fee on the transaction value is added. We agree the details individually at the first conversation.
How do you differ from chambers of commerce and trade offices?
A 30 to 45 minute meeting by phone or online. We talk about the company, the product and the market you are interested in. By the end you know whether entry makes sense and what the first step would be. No offer, no presentation.
Check whether your company is ready for the Polish market.
10 areas that decide whether entering the Polish market succeeds. Download it and answer honestly, before you invest time and money in expansion.