The 2025 Retail Award of Excellence for Hungarian Products has been presented

The winners of the Retail Award of Excellence for Hungarian Products 2025

It was back in 2018 that the founders of the Retail Award of Excellence for Hungarian Products established the prize, with the objective of recognising the value creating work of retail chains operating in Hungary, which helps Hungarian products to enter the market. The award also seeks to encourage retail chains to support the presence of Hungarian Product labelled items on their shelves and in their communication materials as widely as possible, within the limits of their capabilities. 

The prestigious award – whose patron is Minister of Agriculture Dr István Nagy – is presented each year to the retailer which, based on the votes of Hungarian Product trademark user companies and the evaluation of the competition working group, has contributed most effectively to the achievement of common goals. Trademark users give their opinions based on their own experiences, but the scoring uses objective criteria. Their votes are supplemented by those cast by a professional jury consisting of the representatives of trademark users. The evaluation takes into account the following: sales turnover of Hungarian Product trademarked products in the given store chain, success of the retailer’s promotion campaigns for trademarked products, and the satisfaction of trademark users with the store space and other opportunities available in the network for promoting their products. The winner of the award is the company with the highest score. 

In 2025 the first place in the Retail Award of Excellence for Hungarian Products is shared by two retail chains: CBA Kereskedelmi Kft. and PENNY Market Kft. The jury also announced two silver medallists with equal scores: Auchan Magyarország Kft. and METRO Kereskedelmi Kft. were the runners-up this year. The bronze medal went to SPAR Magyarország Kereskedelmi Kft. 

The winner of the Retail Award of Excellence jointly are CBA Kereskedelmi Kft.: 

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazin, Zsolt Gyelán, Vice President of CBA, Zoltán Noszlopy, Purchasing Director of CBA, Eszter Benedek, Managing Director of Hungarian Product

The joint winner of the Retail Award of Excellence 2025: PENNY Market Kft.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazin, Eszter Kazatsay, Communications Director of PENNY, Eszter Benedek, Managing Director of Hungarian Product

Silver medallist of the Retail Award of Excellence 2025: Auchan Magyarország Kft.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazin, Ildikó Balázs, Corporate Relations Director of Auchan, Eszter Benedek, Managing Director of Hungarian Product

Silver medallist of the Retail Award of Excellence 2025: METRO Kereskedelmi Kft.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazin, Dr Beáta Kápolna, Procurement Director of METRO, Eszter Benedek, Managing Director of Hungarian Product

Alongside professional recognition, the Customer Choice Award for Hungarian Products was once again presented this year, with consumers themselves deciding the winner. In an online survey conducted in June 2025, a total of 8,258 people participated, with 28.8% saying that they find Hungarian Product trademarked items most easily in SPAR stores. This marks the third time that SPAR Magyarország Kereskedelmi Kft. has earned the recognition of shoppers and won the Customer Choice Award for Hungarian Products.

Bronze medallist and winner of the Customer Choice Award: SPAR Magyarország Kereskedelmi Kft.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazin, Krisztina Várkonyi, Purchasing Manager of SPAR, Eszter Benedek, Managing Director of Hungarian Product

Dr Beáta Olga Felkai, Deputy State Secretary for Food Chain Supervision at the Ministry of Agriculture said at the Business Days conference: “The value of the Retail Award of Excellence for Hungarian Products lies in recognising the joint work of retail chains and domestic manufacturers. This recognition sends the message that supporting Hungarian products is not only an economic interest, but also a community interest.” She added: “The award proves that with the active involvement of retail, the domestic food industry is strengthened, and this benefits every Hungarian consumer.”

Eszter Benedek, Managing Director of Hungarian Product Nonprofit Kft., praised the unparalleled cohesive strength of the Hungarian Product trademark user community, highlighting that today around 250 companies have nearly 6,000 products bearing one of their trademarks. Together these companies generate HUF 4,700 billion in annual revenue and employ 48,000 people. She also pointed out that according to their latest representative survey, more than 90% of consumers are familiar with the Hungarian Product trademarks and consider them the most authentic among the labels surveyed. Moreover, three-quarters of respondents regularly put trademarked products in their shopping basket. All this means that the Hungarian Product trademark continues to be the most reliable compass for consumers, a lifeline for manufacturers and retailers, and a bridge between market players.

“While new turbulences keep emerging ahead of us, this award and the outstanding performance of the winners prove that it is indeed possible to navigate with stability. Not everyone can be a winner, but everyone is part of the shared success. The partnership marked by the Hungarian Product trademarks shows that even when flying blind – the theme of this year’s Business Days conference – it is possible to find the right direction and a safe runway ahead. And most importantly: together we can take off again and again.” – said Eszter Benedek, referring to the conference theme.

Zsuzsanna Hermann, CEO and editor-in-chief of Trade magazin, commented on this year’s award ceremony: “I am proud to stand on stage alongside the winners, because I believe that the idea and objective of this award, founded together seven years ago, has come to fruition. Each winner, within their own capabilities, provided significant support in 2024 to the market presence of Hungarian products, contributing to the success of the domestic food industry and Hungarian brands even in a difficult economic climate. I am delighted that this year we can once again highlight the best partnerships based on supplier feedback, and also recognise the retail chain that, in the opinion of shoppers, did the most for Hungarian products and demonstrated the greatest care.”