"Poland thrives on trout" – delivering fish straight from the pond to the table with DPD Food

Gospodarstwo Rybackie Zielenica (Zielenica Fish Farm), established in 2001, is rooted in a long-standing family tradition of fish farming, resulting in the cultivation of premium-quality trout that is highly valued by a loyal and diverse customer base. Through its partnership with DPD Food, both business clients and individual customers can enjoy the benefits of Zielenica's eco-friendly fish farming. We spoke with Anna Skowrońska, the owner of Zielenica Fish Farm, about running a large-scale business involving a product that demands specific transport conditions.

What sets Zielenica apart from other similar enterprises? How did the business idea come about?

Anna Skowrońska, owner of Farm Rybackie Zielenica: The mission of Zielenica is to deliver fresh trout to chefs, restaurants, and individual customers who value the quality and health benefits of our fish. I recall standing in a queue at a grocery store and thinking, "If someone can sell a one-day juice, I have an advantage with a seven-day shelf life for fish." That’s when the idea was born – to challenge the common belief that selling fish is difficult due to freshness concerns, and to develop a system allowing chefs, restaurateurs, and now anyone cooking at home or professionally to order a fish that was swimming in a pond in the morning and have it delivered fresh and ready to cook the next day, whether for a home or restaurant kitchen.

How did the implementation of this idea and order fulfilment look at the beginning, before adopting the DPD Food service? Did you only sell locally?

AS: The difference between our current operations and our initial activities is stark. I eagerly awaited a logistics provider to introduce a service like DPD Food. Initially, we tried various distribution methods. We began with self-delivery using our refrigerated vehicle, supplying selected hotels and restaurants primarily in Pomerania and neighbouring regions.

Being based in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, we focused on nearby major hubs like Szczecin, Kołobrzeg, the Tri-City, and Poznań. However, apart from fish farming, fulfilling orders, and finding new clients, logistics consumed a tremendous amount of energy – and logistics isn’t our core expertise. We sought alternatives, and when we partnered with DPD Food, new delivery opportunities opened up, particularly for individual customers.

While we continue to serve the catering industry, the ability to fulfil smaller orders has been transformative. We believe in delivering smaller quantities frequently so our clients don’t need to store and freeze large amounts of fish but can order fresh trout two or three times a week. DPD Food excels in this regard, and I must say it was a red-letter day when a DPD representative called to propose a meeting.