The Entry of Czech Food Enterprises into the British Market – Identified Risks and Barriers

The diploma thesis delves into the topic of Czech companies entering the British food market. Its primary objective is to analyse the business activities of selected entities and identify the major risks and barriers associated with their operations in the market. The thesis focuses on small and medium-sized food enterprises that have received support from CzechTrade London. It explores their reasons for entering the market, export strategies, and how they establish distribution networks. Additionally, the thesis aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing obstacles faced by Czech food exporters based on collected responses, to evaluate their current position in the region. For the purposes of analysis, a combined method of qualitative and quantitative research was selected. The qualitative research was based on semi-structured interviews conducted from April to November 2023. Transcription and subsequent coding of the testimonies were carried out using MAXQDA24 Analytics Pro software to achieve a more accurate interpretation and evaluation of the data. The quantitative part was processed through a risk matrix, which assessed their overall severity and subsequently proposed steps to mitigate probable consequences. The research findings suggest that the difficulty of entry is primarily associated with the higher price of Czech food products, the growing saturation of the market, and the noticeable level of British reluctance towards imported brands, which affects the overall competitiveness of Czech production. The situation for exporters is further compounded by the significant impact of consumer ethnocentrism, frequent rejection of cooperation by potential partners, and the challenging process of finding a suitable distribution network.