One hundred new jobs have been created thanks to BioTech USA’s latest investment programme worth around 9.5 billion forints, demonstrating the resilience and strengthening of Hungarian-owned companies despite economic challenges, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Wednesday in Szada.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the minister announced at the dietary supplement manufacturer’s project presentation event that the Hungarian-owned company had built a robotized protein bar production facility in Szada and expanded capacity in Dunakeszi as part of the investment. The government supported the programme with 2.9 billion forints, contributing to the creation of 100 new jobs.
In his speech, Szijjártó praised BioTech USA, calling it a major achievement that the family-owned company has become a globally recognized brand and one of Europe’s largest dietary supplement manufacturers. The company exports its products to more than 100 countries and directly employs around 2,000 people in Hungary.
He said BioTech USA’s operations had also significantly contributed to economic development in Pest county, where unemployment has halved over the past ten years, while industrial output has increased from 2,500 billion to 7,000 billion forints annually.
The minister also referred to the crises of the past 15 years, welcoming the fact that despite difficulties such as the Covid pandemic and the war affecting the global economy, Hungarian economic players have achieved remarkable results.
‘Despite Covid and the war, which led to layoffs across the global economy, Hungary now has one million more people in work than ten years ago,’ he said, adding that Hungary also has the lowest taxes on labour in European comparison.
Szijjártó further highlighted that despite extreme volatility in international energy markets, Hungary had not only built but also successfully defended its utility cost reduction scheme, despite legal and political attacks.
He warned, however, that in such a fragile period, hard-won achievements could easily be put at risk, for example by the escalation of the war in neighbouring Ukraine.
The minister concluded that the past four years have been the most successful period in Hungary’s economic history in terms of investments. ‘Never before have so many investments been made, so many factories built and so many jobs created in Hungary as in these four years,’ he said, adding that this was largely due to the strengthening of Hungarian-owned companies.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó said the government currently spends 340 billion forints on innovation. He noted that one in three Hungarian companies is now engaged in innovation, with the goal of increasing this to one in two. He added that Hungary has become a European leader in robotics, supporting skilled employment in the region.
BioTech USA Chief Executive Bálint Lévai said at a press conference combined with a factory tour that the newly inaugurated development at the company’s production and logistics centre in Szada would increase annual capacity in the premium protein bar segment by 75 million units. New product concepts planned for the production line will be key to further strengthening the company’s position in more than 100 countries worldwide.
‘The fact that we have surpassed 100 billion forints in revenue and reached 2,000 employees clearly shows that we are the Hungarian champion of our industry,’ Lévai said.
BioTech USA, which is entirely Hungarian-owned, is one of Europe’s largest and fastest-growing manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and specialized foods. It operates 327 franchise stores in more than 100 countries, with 2,000 employees and 4,500 partners.
According to data from the Electronic Reporting Portal, the BioTech USA group recorded net revenue of 82.5 billion forints and an after-tax profit of 100 million forints in the 2024 financial year.
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