Local producers in Romania are now united under the Via Profi.ro platform, through which anyone can get to know them and enjoy the authentic Romanian taste preserved by culinary artisans who bring traditional recipes or seek to integrate new ones into the national gastronomic heritage.

In less than six months since Profi, a Romanian company, launched the project in the market, it has encompassed over 200 local producers from 10 counties, so now anyone can easily embark on a journey of good taste throughout Romania. In the coming period, Via Profi will provide an increasingly comprehensive picture of Romania's authentic traditional taste from all counties.

Accessible for free, the via-profi.ro platform allows for searching and direct contact with producers, grouped by domains and counties. For those who want to be inspired by new flavors and producers who put their hearts into their craft, the platform's homepage offers visual recommendations with large and suggestive images. With each new access to the platform, new recommendations appear for a more generous exploration of Romania's good taste.

"Via Profi is a culinary exploration tool that accompanies you throughout the country and helps you discover passionate and dedicated people who give you the opportunity to visit them and taste their delights! By traveling locally, eating healthy, living, and sharing the story of these experiences, we all contribute to the continuation of traditions in a sustainable manner, with care for ourselves and nature," says Călin Costinaș, Deputy General Director of Profi.

"Via Profi is the imaginary road that connects the entire Romania through its culinary artisans and helps us not only embark on a different kind of journey but also support a healthy lifestyle for ourselves and the local economy."

Every day, delicious and healthy products from small local producers are born in households, farms, or small family businesses. Often, these products remain unknown outside the local community. Their creators struggle to find resources and assistance to reach as many consumers as possible who could help them continue their activities and preserve natural, traditional preparation methods.

Profi now changes the story of small local producers by directly involving itself in the entire process – from preparing products for sale, offering complete counseling and support, to promotion and encouraging more Romanians to discover the authentic Romanian taste and its artisans.

The via-profi.ro platform is a dynamic one, constantly supplemented with new producers suggested by visitors, discovered by Profi's teams, or those who register using the contact form. From authentic fresh products to gastronomic delights, the products on Via Profi allow for a different exploration of the country's cultural richness and real support for local communities.

Moreover, local entrepreneurs seeking expert advice can discover it through the Via Profi blog, where stories of Romania's good taste are also presented.

"We encourage local producers by making room for them in our stores, where they are not only welcome but also supported in selling their products without imposing a minimum quantity or requiring them to adapt to mass production," adds Gabriela Sîrbu, Director of Sustainability of the retail network and coordinator of this program.

"Profi's involvement goes beyond what we do in our numerous stores: we help consumers discover local producers, reach them directly, discover their stories and products, and often, it becomes love at first sight or, rather, love at first taste... Profi puts its heart into the community."

"I particularly appreciate the effort made in the last almost 11 months by the team led by our colleague Gabriela Sirbu to build Via Profi, this bridge between producers, authorities, and the general public, for the benefit of all parties involved," concludes Gaetan Pacton, CEO of Profi.

With 28,000 employees in 1,654 own stores and Partner stores present in nearly 800 urban and rural localities, Profi is the largest private employer in Romania. PROFI SUPER, PROFI CITY, PROFI GO, and PROFI LOCO, the four store formats of the network, offer a range of 5,000 products appreciated by over 1.2 million customers who do their shopping in these stores every day.

Over 94% of the network's products come from suppliers in Romania. With a turnover of 11.7 billion lei, the company ranks third in Romanian retail.