During my internship of three months at Prima, I had the opportunity to apply my academic knowledge to real business projects. As an EMBS student (European Master in Business Studies), I worked on projects covering production, logistics, market research, strategic analysis, marketing and business development. What made the experience particularly valuable for me was understanding how these different areas are connected.

I started with an introduction to the company, its products, raw materials, production processes, machinery and logistics. A factory visit helped me understand the production process in practice. I then worked with the logistics department on an international sourcing project, analyzing transportation routes, ports, containerization and inland transportation. This gave me practical insight into how logistics decisions influence overall sourcing costs. My focus then shifted towards international market development. I researched agricultural markets and explored where packaging solutions could potentially meet existing market needs. One of my key lessons was that market size alone is not enough – product market fit and customer needs are equally important.

I conducted a more detailed market assessment, including competitor research and strategic frameworks. This helped me understand the market environment from different perspectives. I identified potential customer groups and researched their activities, needs and existing solutions. This was an important step in moving from general market research towards business development. I communicated directly with potential customers by email and telephone to better understand their needs and explore whether the company’s solutions could be relevant to them. Towards the end of my internship, the project progressed towards evaluating potential business opportunities, costs and possible pilot activities.

Looking back, one of the most valuable aspects of my internship was the opportunity to work across different areas of the business. For me, the biggest takeaway was that market research is most valuable when it leads to informed decisions, meaningful customer conversations and potential business opportunities.