
Joanna Wiśniewska
Marketing and PR Manager j.wisniewska@avallon.pl
Hagen PR
Wojciech Dziewit
wojtek@hagen.pl
Do you observe any specific market conditions or consumer habits typical of Poland? Is the Polish consumer different from others when it comes to the use of washing products?
There is no clear answer to this question. The issue is complex. Our company supplies products to more than twenty seven countries on four continents and each market has its own specificity. In some countries, customers expect highly concentrated products; in others quite the opposite, and Poland is not any special phenomenon on a global scale. For example, when it comes to encapsulated washing products, Poland is a leader in this part of Europe. The situation is totally different in Germany, for example, where the capsules have never become so popular. In Poland, the share of their sales is already over a dozen percent, while on our western neighbour’s market this level is only a small few percent. However, when it comes to dishwasher products, in the Benelux countries, France or Italy, gels not tablets dominate, while tablets are the most popular type in Poland.
What definitely distinguishes us, not only Poland but also other Eastern European countries, is quite high dynamics in launching new products and quick market response to them. Equivalents and substitutes of well‑received and popular articles, especially the ones which are leaders in a given category, are introduced very quickly here, because such is the demand of our consumers.
What is the current situation of your company on foreign markets today? What are the future prospects? Are there any plans to expand to other countries?
As I mentioned, our products are available in dozens of markets around the world. It is worth emphasizing that this is a permanent presence and not individual orders. At this point, first of all, we want to strengthen our positions even more. Our presence is quite well established in the countries across our eastern border, i.e. in the Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine, where we have our own production plant, and in Russia. At the same time, competition in these markets is quite strong. Chemical products from China and Turkey are very popular there, which makes them strong rivals for us in this region. So, our goal right now is to increase our sales there.
Acquiring a new market, on the other hand, especially with the current restrictions and bureaucratic obstacles is problematic. Sales markets have tightened, which is an evident result of the pandemic. The economy of supplies is important here. As you know, transport costs a lot and local producers in markets where we are not yet present are usually successful and well positioned. That is why at the moment our main focus is on strengthening our presence where our products are already available.
Which product segment is the crucial one for the company at the moment?
We operate in a very wide range of chemical products – from the simplest ones, such as washing‑up or floor cleaning liquids, to highly advanced ones, such as capsules or dishwasher tablets, the development of which requires many years of work in the laboratory. However, the domain of our company is great flexibility.
Detergents are and will be the most crucial segment for us. Our company is one of only a few that arre part of the washing capsules market. The largest global concerns are in the lead in this segment, but we have found ourselves in this market perfectly well. We have developed high‑end technologies for both product and production, and that is what we use. Washing capsules drive the entire market. Therefore, next year, two more production lines will be launched, so we will have three in total. The current one is already operating at maximum speed.
Washing capsules and gels are replacing traditional powders on the shelves – here we can observe stagnation in powders sales. However, in the case of capsules, we record an increase by 50% every year. The market and consumer habits clearly go in this direction and we, as a company, aim to meet these expectations.
What is the current demand for private labels, which you also produce?
When it comes to private labels, when we look at export markets and compare them with ours, we will notice a huge difference – our segment of such products is still very much in its infancy. It is estimated that in Poland, in the case of chemicals, it is around 17%, and in Western countries it is over 40%. Therefore, there is still some perspective for a further increase, but it must be remembered that this is not an easy product. It earns relatively the least amount of money and requires the greatest amount of work. Contractors are often not chemical experts, so their expectations are sometimes difficult to meet and not entirely accurate. This part of the market is dominated in Poland by the Jeronimo Martins company, which has its own production plant and thus, in a way, imposes prices on the shelves and quality, and thus the margin on the producer. It is therefore quite a difficult market, but you need to be present in it. Such giants as Lidl, Carrefour or Auchan are also developing their own brands very strongly. Our great partner in this area is, for example, the Dino store chain.
What is the situation regarding the line of professional products for laundries, hotels, and restaurants?
In this case, it is not so much about selling the products themselves as it is about providing customers (such as laundries, hotels or gastronomy) with the entire technology. This is what the customer expects today. They want to know how to wash, what programme to use, how long is the washing cycle, how to ensure the lowest possible water consumption, etc. Therefore, we are not talking only about the product, but about, for example, dosing devices that serve this technology. We are to provide specific and complete solutions, and that’s what we do.
Due to the pandemic, turnover in this category fell by as much as 90% in April and May. Lockdown basically immobilized industries such as hotel and catering. There were therefore well‑founded concerns about whether these industries would survive at all. Laundries also experienced problems. For example, one of them, specializing in services for hospitals, experienced considerable problems when hospitals were subject to the sanitary regime and significantly reduced patient admissions. Fortunately, the situation is slowly normalizing. Maybe not completely, but we can expect to have the pre‑pandemic turnover in about 90 %. Having said that , though, a few clients unfortunately have not withstood this crisis.
Has the pandemic in any way affected the company’s operations?
When it comes to the organization of work on the plants, we are currently working as before the Coronavirus. However, immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic, within two weeks, we switched to the production of biocidal, disinfecting and antibacterial fluids, for which there was a huge demand at that time. During this period, the laboratory and planning department worked 15‑18 hours a day, while production and warehouses worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure the constant supply of those necessities.
One of other effects that are visible may be the breakdown of cooperation with several suppliers who have not worked well during the pandemic – we had to increase orders for packaging, labels or cartons, but some long‑term contractors preferred temporary, often one‑time earnings, so they sold their products to other entities at a significantly inflated price. On the other hand, some of the suppliers we counted on to a lesser extent turned out to be important and reliable partners. Therefore, the pandemic allowed for verification and reevaluation of certain issues.
Despite the Coronavirus and the related problems in the economy, we are consistently implementing our growth plan. For example, just at the outbreak of the pandemic, we started cooperation with one large network to which we supplied products throughout this most difficult period. Now, it is paying off because it has opened a way for further negotiations which will be finalized next year.
What are the challenges facing the company in the near future?
Companies producing household chemicals are not usually concerned too much about ecological issues. Meanwhile, it is already becoming the norm that a company should have ecological products in its portfolio, supported by certificates. Therefore, one of the directions in which we operate is to change this image and show that chemicals can be produced in a way that is harmonious with nature. One of our goals is to ensure that by 2025 we no longer offer non‑organic products. Only a few years ago, it was believed that eco products were of lower quality, which is not true. Their high effectiveness is confirmed by independent studies.
We care about ecology in a different way as well. For example, we have launched our own closed‑loop industrial wastewater treatment plant, which means that we do not release waste into the environment at all. We are also expanding our photovoltaic power plant. Currently, it is 0.54MW, ultimately it is to have a capacity of 1.2 MW, which will cover approximately 80 % of our entire demand for electricity.
We also observe a strong emphasis on the robotization not only of production, which is already an obvious standard, but also, for example, of logistic processes. We are currently in the process of launching another robot park and we will certainly continue to move in this direction.
Do you observe any specific market conditions or consumer habits typical of Poland? Is the Polish consumer different from others when it comes to the use of washing products?
There is no clear answer to this question. The issue is complex. Our company supplies products to more than twenty seven countries on four continents and each market has its own specificity. In some countries, customers expect highly concentrated products; in others quite the opposite, and Poland is not any special phenomenon on a global scale. For example, when it comes to encapsulated washing products, Poland is a leader in this part of Europe. The situation is totally different in Germany, for example, where the capsules have never become so popular. In Poland, the share of their sales is already over a dozen percent, while on our western neighbour’s market this level is only a small few percent. However, when it comes to dishwasher products, in the Benelux countries, France or Italy, gels not tablets dominate, while tablets are the most popular type in Poland.
What definitely distinguishes us, not only Poland but also other Eastern European countries, is quite high dynamics in launching new products and quick market response to them. Equivalents and substitutes of well‑received and popular articles, especially the ones which are leaders in a given category, are introduced very quickly here, because such is the demand of our consumers.
What is the current situation of your company on foreign markets today? What are the future prospects? Are there any plans to expand to other countries?
As I mentioned, our products are available in dozens of markets around the world. It is worth emphasizing that this is a permanent presence and not individual orders. At this point, first of all, we want to strengthen our positions even more. Our presence is quite well established in the countries across our eastern border, i.e. in the Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine, where we have our own production plant, and in Russia. At the same time, competition in these markets is quite strong. Chemical products from China and Turkey are very popular there, which makes them strong rivals for us in this region. So, our goal right now is to increase our sales there.
Acquiring a new market, on the other hand, especially with the current restrictions and bureaucratic obstacles is problematic. Sales markets have tightened, which is an evident result of the pandemic. The economy of supplies is important here. As you know, transport costs a lot and local producers in markets where we are not yet present are usually successful and well positioned. That is why at the moment our main focus is on strengthening our presence where our products are already available.
Which product segment is the crucial one for the company at the moment?
We operate in a very wide range of chemical products – from the simplest ones, such as washing‑up or floor cleaning liquids, to highly advanced ones, such as capsules or dishwasher tablets, the development of which requires many years of work in the laboratory. However, the domain of our company is great flexibility.
Detergents are and will be the most crucial segment for us. Our company is one of only a few that arre part of the washing capsules market. The largest global concerns are in the lead in this segment, but we have found ourselves in this market perfectly well. We have developed high‑end technologies for both product and production, and that is what we use. Washing capsules drive the entire market. Therefore, next year, two more production lines will be launched, so we will have three in total. The current one is already operating at maximum speed.
Washing capsules and gels are replacing traditional powders on the shelves – here we can observe stagnation in powders sales. However, in the case of capsules, we record an increase by 50% every year. The market and consumer habits clearly go in this direction and we, as a company, aim to meet these expectations.
What is the current demand for private labels, which you also produce?
When it comes to private labels, when we look at export markets and compare them with ours, we will notice a huge difference – our segment of such products is still very much in its infancy. It is estimated that in Poland, in the case of chemicals, it is around 17%, and in Western countries it is over 40%. Therefore, there is still some perspective for a further increase, but it must be remembered that this is not an easy product. It earns relatively the least amount of money and requires the greatest amount of work. Contractors are often not chemical experts, so their expectations are sometimes difficult to meet and not entirely accurate. This part of the market is dominated in Poland by the Jeronimo Martins company, which has its own production plant and thus, in a way, imposes prices on the shelves and quality, and thus the margin on the producer. It is therefore quite a difficult market, but you need to be present in it. Such giants as Lidl, Carrefour or Auchan are also developing their own brands very strongly. Our great partner in this area is, for example, the Dino store chain.
What is the situation regarding the line of professional products for laundries, hotels, and restaurants?
In this case, it is not so much about selling the products themselves as it is about providing customers (such as laundries, hotels or gastronomy) with the entire technology. This is what the customer expects today. They want to know how to wash, what programme to use, how long is the washing cycle, how to ensure the lowest possible water consumption, etc. Therefore, we are not talking only about the product, but about, for example, dosing devices that serve this technology. We are to provide specific and complete solutions, and that’s what we do.
Due to the pandemic, turnover in this category fell by as much as 90% in April and May. Lockdown basically immobilized industries such as hotel and catering. There were therefore well‑founded concerns about whether these industries would survive at all. Laundries also experienced problems. For example, one of them, specializing in services for hospitals, experienced considerable problems when hospitals were subject to the sanitary regime and significantly reduced patient admissions. Fortunately, the situation is slowly normalizing. Maybe not completely, but we can expect to have the pre‑pandemic turnover in about 90 %. Having said that , though, a few clients unfortunately have not withstood this crisis.
Has the pandemic in any way affected the company’s operations?
When it comes to the organization of work on the plants, we are currently working as before the Coronavirus. However, immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic, within two weeks, we switched to the production of biocidal, disinfecting and antibacterial fluids, for which there was a huge demand at that time. During this period, the laboratory and planning department worked 15‑18 hours a day, while production and warehouses worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure the constant supply of those necessities.
One of other effects that are visible may be the breakdown of cooperation with several suppliers who have not worked well during the pandemic – we had to increase orders for packaging, labels or cartons, but some long‑term contractors preferred temporary, often one‑time earnings, so they sold their products to other entities at a significantly inflated price. On the other hand, some of the suppliers we counted on to a lesser extent turned out to be important and reliable partners. Therefore, the pandemic allowed for verification and reevaluation of certain issues.
Despite the Coronavirus and the related problems in the economy, we are consistently implementing our growth plan. For example, just at the outbreak of the pandemic, we started cooperation with one large network to which we supplied products throughout this most difficult period. Now, it is paying off because it has opened a way for further negotiations which will be finalized next year.
What are the challenges facing the company in the near future?
Companies producing household chemicals are not usually concerned too much about ecological issues. Meanwhile, it is already becoming the norm that a company should have ecological products in its portfolio, supported by certificates. Therefore, one of the directions in which we operate is to change this image and show that chemicals can be produced in a way that is harmonious with nature. One of our goals is to ensure that by 2025 we no longer offer non‑organic products. Only a few years ago, it was believed that eco products were of lower quality, which is not true. Their high effectiveness is confirmed by independent studies.
We care about ecology in a different way as well. For example, we have launched our own closed‑loop industrial wastewater treatment plant, which means that we do not release waste into the environment at all. We are also expanding our photovoltaic power plant. Currently, it is 0.54MW, ultimately it is to have a capacity of 1.2 MW, which will cover approximately 80 % of our entire demand for electricity.
We also observe a strong emphasis on the robotization not only of production, which is already an obvious standard, but also, for example, of logistic processes. We are currently in the process of launching another robot park and we will certainly continue to move in this direction.
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1.07.2026 READ MOREKrzysztof Kuźbik in Portal Spożywczy on Maspex’s Latest Acquisition in UkraineMaspex’s acquisition of a majority stake in Ukrainian company Carpathian Mineral Waters is a transaction that should be viewed through a much broader lens than that of a single industry. It also sends an important signal to Polish companies considering expansion across the Central and Eastern European region.
Speaking to Portal Spożywczy, Krzysztof Kuźbik, Partner at Avallon MBO, noted that Polish companies currently have a unique opportunity, but also a limited window of time to act. If Polish entrepreneurs fail to seize this opportunity, investors and businesses from other countries will.
Ukraine is set to become one of the key markets in the region, and those who begin building their presence early will be best positioned to benefit. For many Polish companies, Ukraine could become a natural direction for expansion—geographically close, economically complementary, and strategically important for the entire Central and Eastern European region.
“Understanding the local market is essential—its rules, relationships, consumer behaviour and the way public administration operates. It is simply not possible to successfully run a business in Ukraine solely from Warsaw or Kraków. This is why experienced professionals with in-depth knowledge of the market—Polish, Ukrainian and international managers alike—will play a crucial role. Such expertise will be a major asset for companies looking to enter Ukraine through acquisitions,” commented Krzysztof Kuźbik, Partner at Avallon MBO.
Read the full interview on Portal Spożywczy:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/portalspozywczy_przej%C4%99cie-maspeksu-na-ukrainie-to-wa%C5%BCny-activity-7477291471122022401-EpnY -
17.06.2026 READ MOREAvallon MBO and Inglot Join Forces to Accelerate the Global Expansion of a Leading Beauty BrandAvallon MBO, a private equity company specialising in management buyouts, has invested in Inglot, one of Poland’s most recognized beauty brands with a significant international presence.
The transaction involves the acquisition of a majority stake and reflects Avallon MBO’s strong belief in the potential of Polish brands to build and strengthen their global position. Avallon brings extensive experience in supporting family-business succession, organisational transformation, and long-term value creation alongside founders, owners, and management teams.
Under the leadership of the next generation of the founding family, supported by Avallon MBO’s expertise, Inglot will continue to build on the same foundations that have shaped its global success: Polish heritage, in-house manufacturing, creative independence, and uncompromising quality.
Inglot is among a select group of Polish brands that have successfully established a global presence and strong brand recognition. Built over more than 40 years, the company now operates across international markets, leveraging a business model based on proprietary manufacturing, product innovation, creative independence, and a strong brand position.
The partnership with Avallon MBO is intended to support the next phase of business scaling, including further international expansion, organic growth, and investments in organisational capabilities, technology, and operational platform development. Inglot’s growth strategy focuses on international expansion, broadening its product portfolio, and strengthening e-commerce and omnichannel capabilities. Poland will remain one of the company’s key growth markets.
“This transaction is designed to support the continued scaling of the business, further professionalisation of the organisation, and the development of capabilities required to drive growth in international markets. For our business partners, it means continuity of cooperation within the existing operating model, combined with new opportunities to grow alongside the brand. Planned investments in product development, sales enablement tools, and competitive capabilities are intended to support revenue growth and further expansion across all channels,” said Agnieszka Pakulska, Partner at Avallon MBO and the lead on the transaction.
“This marks another important milestone in our development journey. Bringing on board a partner such as Avallon enables us to accelerate the execution of our strategic objectives and scale the business more rapidly across international markets. We gain access to valuable operational expertise and know-how that will support the continued professionalisation of the organisation. Operationally, we are not planning any revolution. Our focus remains on consistently developing each area of the business, strengthening sales channels, and capturing new growth opportunities. I believe this partnership will help Inglot enter the next stage of professionalisation and development—an ambition I have pursued for many years,” said Grzegorz Inglot, CEO of Inglot.
The transaction aligns with Avallon MBO’s strategy of partnering with companies that have strong market positions, recognised brands, and significant growth potential, working closely with founders, owners, and management teams to unlock long-term value.
In the photo: Agnieszka Pakulska, Grzegorz Inglot
“I will remain actively involved in the management of the company and will continue to contribute to its development as CEO and shareholder,” added Grzegorz Inglot. “The family will also remain an important part of the company’s ownership and governance structure. My sister, Milena Inglot, will continue serving on the Management Board, while our father, Zbigniew Inglot, will represent the family on the Supervisory Board. Existing family shareholders, Elżbieta Inglot and Barbara Inglot, will also remain involved both as shareholders and in expert roles within the organisation.”
Industry forecasts project the global beauty market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of between 3.4% and 7% through 2030, with total market value expected to exceed USD 800 billion. In Poland, the beauty market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of approximately 6–7%.
Consumers are increasingly focused on product quality and ingredient transparency, seeking not only makeup products but also skincare-oriented solutions that support skin health and overall condition. Demand continues to rise for science-led products backed by proven formulations and research-based efficacy.
Closing of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected following the summer holiday period.
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1.06.2026 READ MORE25 Years of Avallon MBO: Tomasz Stamirowski Discusses the Transformation of Polish Business in Forbes Poland25 Years of Avallon MBO: 25 Years of Active Contribution to the Development of the Polish Economy. Tomasz Stamirowski for Forbes Poland on MBOs, Succession, and the Transformation of Polish Business.
The June issue of Forbes Poland features an interview with Tomasz Stamirowski, Managing Partner at Avallon MBO. The discussion covers, among other topics, Avallon MBO’s 25 years of experience, the development of the management buyout (MBO) market in Poland, and the practical aspects of fostering and promoting entrepreneurship.
The interview explores the practical dimensions of Poland’s economic transformation and the role of ownership structures and management teams in building Polish capital. It also examines how Polish companies address succession challenges and how succession planning influences business growth amid increasing market volatility, technological pressure, and geopolitical uncertainty.
We hope this interview will provide valuable insights for both managers and owners of privately held Polish companies.
We encourage you to read the June issue of Forbes Poland. The online version of the interview is available here:
https://www.forbes.pl/sukcesja-sprzyja-wykupom-menedzerskim/dt66ck1 -
21.04.2026 READ MORE25 Years of Avallon MBO – A quarter-century of supporting entrepreneurship and over PLN 1 billion invested in the Polish economyAvallon MBO is a pioneer of the management buyout (MBO) market in Poland and, for 25 years, has remained true to its core principles—turning managers into entrepreneurs. This is underpinned by unique experience gained from over 150 transactions executed in partnership with management teams.
Since its inception, the fund has invested more than PLN 1 billion in the development of its portfolio companies, supporting their operational growth, international expansion, and transformation processes. On average, Avallon’s portfolio companies double their revenue and EBITDA during the investment period. Avallon has co-created the market success of brands such as VELVET Care, Good Food, and Wosana, and was also behind one of the most successful acquisitions of a Polish company in the German market—the medical company Meyra.
Today, Avallon ranks among the leading private equity funds in Poland. It is one of the few domestic firms to have completed at least three full investment fund cycles and is currently preparing to launch another. Its objective is to actively support the transformation of the Polish economy by implementing modern technological solutions in traditional sectors.
Over the years, the fund’s team has built a broad and lasting network of relationships, collaborating with more than 10,000 leading Polish managers and entrepreneurs and analyzing approximately 5,000 investment opportunities.
A quarter-century of Avallon MBO’s operations also reflects the maturation of the MBO market in Poland—from early transactions, conducted in an environment of limited capital access and a short tradition of private investment, to a fully developed market segment where MBOs have become a key tool for succession, management professionalization, and accelerating the growth of domestic businesses.
Today, Avallon belongs to a select group of private equity funds in Poland with at least three full fund cycles completed. The team is currently launching a fourth one —which is going to be significantly larger in scale and open to a new category of investors, including family foundations.
Avallon was a pioneer of the MBO model in Poland and is now the undisputed leader in this segment. The fund has played a significant role in popularizing management buyouts as an effective tool for business development and promoting entrepreneurship in Poland.
The fund is an active investor focused on growth and long-term value creation. It invests in strong companies with a clear ambition—to transform them into best-in-class businesses. To date, Avallon has invested over PLN 1 billion to support management buyouts and the growth of mid-sized companies in Poland. Portfolio companies have additionally allocated nearly PLN 1 billion in capital expenditures (CAPEX) for development and modernization, while average employment growth during the investment period has reached approximately 20%. On average, companies double their revenue and EBITDA during the fund’s investment horizon.
Avallon invests across a range of sectors, building a diversified portfolio of successful projects. Its key areas include consumer goods (VELVET, GOOD FOOD, Wiejska Zagroda), healthcare (MEDORT), services (MPS, STANGL TECHNIK), as well as technology (Marketplanet, Globema) and engineering (Bipromet).
The fund has developed extensive sector expertise, further strengthened by its collaboration model with experienced managers and founders who bring deep knowledge of their companies and industries. Over 25 years, the team has established relationships with more than 10,000 top managers, and approximately 5,000 investment projects have gone through its analytical process. In the coming years, the MBO segment in Poland is expected to gain further importance driven by succession challenges, ongoing industry consolidation, and increasing pressure for technological transformation.
“25 years of Avallon is not only the story of the development of the MBO market, but also our active contribution to building Polish capital and strengthening the domestic economy. Ahead of us are further challenges—supporting the technological and business transformation of private companies established in the 1990s, as well as their international expansion. Today, private equity funds possess significant intellectual capital derived from transactional and operational experience, as well as extensive networks. Increasingly, they serve as an effective mechanism for allocating capital to companies with the highest growth potential,” says Tomasz Stamirowski, Managing Partner at Avallon MBO.
“We are often described as a ‘fund with a human face.’ From the very beginning, we have placed great emphasis on ethics, trust, and values such as commitment, integrity, and professionalism. For us, business is not only about capital, but also about long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. This may explain why many of our transactions are carried out not only with managers, but also with founders or their successors,” says Robert Więcławski, Senior Partner at Avallon MBO.
In the near term, Avallon plans to launch its fourth fund—significantly larger than its previous investment vehicles. The new fund will enable further scaling of operations and the execution of additional ambitious development projects within Polish enterprises, with a focus on building strong, competitive companies and supporting the long-term growth of the Polish economy.
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2.04.2026 READ MORES’portofino Strengthens Its Premium Market Position with Urszula Radwańska as Brand AmbassadorS’portofino, an Avallon MBO portfolio company, continues to strengthen its position in the premium fashion and sport segment by combining the world of sport with top-quality fashion.
Urszula Radwańska, a renowned Polish tennis player, has now joined the brand’s group of ambassadors. Her international court experience, determination and strong sense of style naturally align with S’portofino’s DNA. This marks another step in building a strong, aspirational lifestyle brand rooted in authenticity and consistent values.
On this occasion, the company has also announced a new initiative — Tennis Camp Ula Radwańska by S’portofino, which will take place on 20–26 April in Marbella, Spain. The camp offers a unique opportunity to develop tennis skills under the guidance of internationally experienced professionals, in small groups, with an individual approach and in an inspiring, premium environment that creates a distinctive sporting experience.
We encourage interested participants to register. Enrollment is open only until 5 April.
https://tenniscamp-uradwanska.pl/




