Sunfly, the Estonian producer of plant-based sunflower seed butter, made its UK debut last year via the prestigious Selfridges department store and expanded its reach this year through the online retailer Ocado. Now, the company has set its sights high: by the end of the year, it aims for 90% of its sales to come from exports. Currently, the figure is 70%.
The company also promises to announce soon a collaboration with a major retail chain in Saudi Arabia – although they are not ready to disclose which one yet.
“The Estonian market is small, and our product – sunflower seed butter – is uncommon in this region. Domestic volumes are limited. Growth must come from foreign markets, so focusing on exports is the only viable path forward,” says Dmitri Eivin, co-founder and CEO of Sunfly.
UK market: from Selfridges to Ocado
The UK has become Sunfly’s largest foreign market so far. Following a successful market entry in April 2024, when the products hit the shelves at Selfridges, the company signed a deal in May 2025 with the online retailer Ocado.
“We’ll soon announce a major deal. It’s the largest market in the Middle East and very open to new plant-based products.”
Dmitri Eivin, co-founder and CEO of Sunfly
“The UK is the largest market in Europe for nut and seed butters. We’ve invested heavily in this market – attended local trade shows, run street promotions, collaborated with social media influencers – all of this helped raise visibility with retail buyers and showed them that people genuinely enjoy our products,” explains Eivin.
While he doesn’t disclose specific sales figures, he confirms that the UK is a key target market. “The UK is currently our biggest market – and it’s growing fast,” Eivin says.
Sunfly´s new targets: Middle East and Southern Europe
Sunfly is also keeping an eye on the Middle East – starting with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and preparing for entry into Saudi Arabia. “People in the UAE consume a lot of sunflower seeds, so the taste is familiar to them. They also eat a lot of tahini and hummus – our product is similar to tahini and fits well into that category,” says Eivin.
Currently, Sunfly sells in the UAE via Kibsons’ online platform, but starting in September, they plan to expand to Amazon, Noon, and Talabat, as well as enter a local retail chain. In Saudi Arabia, the company is also close to a significant breakthrough. “We’ll soon announce a major deal. It’s the largest market in the Middle East and very open to new plant-based products.”
When it comes to Portugal and France, Eivin is more reserved: “These markets are more difficult for us at the moment. We’re continuing our efforts, but no major breakthroughs yet.”
Gulfood and EIS support: “You can’t succeed without local representation”
The Gulfood trade show in Dubai has been a major stepping stone for Sunfly. “If you want to be serious about the Gulf region, Gulfood is a must – that’s where the major food industry players meet and deals are made. But the fair alone isn’t enough – you also need a local agent working for you daily. The competition in that food landscape is intense,” Eivin emphasises.
It was through Gulfood that Sunfly found its first contacts, which led to sales in the UAE. “We’ve received great support from Enterprise Estonia (EIS), which helped us participate in the fair. We’re preparing for Enterprise Estonia´s business mission to Saudi Arabia in November to find new partners there,” says Eivin.
Anuga 2025 is an international trade fair for the food and beverage industry in Cologne, Germany, from October 4–8, 2025. It is held biennially and is expected to attract over 7,900 exhibitors and 140,000 visitors.
But he also warns that Gulfood may not be suitable for beginners: “You’ll walk away with hundreds of contacts, and you’ll be lucky if one of them pans out – there are no guarantees. Every product listing costs money, and there are no clear rules.” As a starting point, Eivin recommends: “Try Anuga in Germany first.”
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