Coca-Cola HBC Romania saw sales surge 33% last year, up to 97.7 million units, according to Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) officials. Coca-Cola HBC Romania is the local branch of the Greek bottling company.

Estimates based on these data and confirmed by the local officials of the company point to turnover revolving around 200 million euros in Romania.

The growth pace in Romania is the strongest among the 26 countries where the Greek company CCHBC operates. This is partially due to the CCHBC acquisition of the mineral water company Dorna Apemin at the end of 2002.

The average growth pace for all the countries where CCHBC operates amounted to some 8%. "The financial data are calculated in line with different accounting rules in Romania, but the growth pace in terms of value was similar with the increase in volume," Mugurel Radulescu, marketing corporate affairs director of Coca-Cola HBC Romania, said.

According to Radulescu, turnover had accounted for some 150 million euros in 2002. Consequently, the company posted sales of 200 million euros last year.

The most significant brands of the company on the Romanian market are Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Cappy and Dorna. "It was a record year for Cappy in 2003, as it logged the biggest sales since launch. Cappy sales went up 53% in 2003 from the previous year," Radulescu added.

Coca-Cola's main competitors on the soft drinks market in Romania are Quadrant Amroq Beverages (QAB), the Pepsi bottling company for Romania, and European Drinks. The Romanian soft drinks market is estimated at over 500 million euros annually. georgiana.stavarache@zf.ro

Coca-Cola HBC Romania saw sales surge 33% last year, up to 97.7 million units, according to Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) officials. Coca-Cola HBC Roman