East Grain CEO Tamás Vincze on supply-chain focus, AGROFERT ties and expansion

Ownership and synergies

AGROFERT acquired a majority stake two years ago after already having strong commercial ties with East Grain. Existing flows include rapeseed sales to Preol and sunflower seed shipments to Hungary, and East Grain has invested in fertilizer unloading and large bagging at its Lernut silo to receive rail deliveries from Linz and Šaľa and distribute to farmers.

Strategic shift and assets

Founded in 2007, East Grain pivoted after 2012 from pure commodity trading to building a supply-chain business: investments in silos, logistics, input distribution, seed and fertilizer packaging, feed production and farmer financing. It currently operates seven silos (five Romania, one Serbia, one Hungary), 23 own trucks plus 100+ subcontractors, and is a minority shareholder in the largest independent feed factory in Romania.

Market position and financials

Romania produces some 20–25 million tonnes of cereals and oilseeds annually; East Grain trades about 500,000 tonnes domestically. The company expects group turnover of roughly €250 million this year versus almost €200 million last year. Romania’s market is marked by long financing chains (around 90% of crop production is supplier‑financed) and recent price shocks and droughts that have increased bankruptcies; East Grain says it has limited exposure and sees acquisition opportunities cautiously.

Growth projects and culture

East Grain acquired Maragro (≈10,000 ha) to enter primary production and processing: Maragro grows specialized seeds and rapeseed (≈2,400 ha this year), operates a cold‑press oil mill with ~20,000 t/yr capacity and plans expansion into beef fattening and irrigation. The company stresses a young, flexible culture (office avg. age ~35), regular management training, annual Family Day events and a long-standing recruitment pipeline with Cluj universities that places 2–3 graduates a year into the business.