Scandia Romana, the main canned foods producer on the local market, posted 30% rise in pate sales over the first nine months of the year, against the corresponding period of 2005.
"We estimate 20% rise in pate sales for this year," stated Sorin Bozdog, commercial manager of Scandia Romana. Scandia-branded products held more than 60% of the market in the January-September period, according to MEMRB data, quoted by the company.
"Pate Bucegi generated most of the company's turnover in 2005, followed by Pate Sibiu," added Bozdog.
The company posted turnover worth 38 million euros last year, up by 76% against 2004, and its representatives estimated the turnover would rise by 20% this year.
The company invested over 3 million euros in production equipment and environment protection last year.
Besides pate, Scandia also produces canned meat, frankfurters, as well as traditional food.
Scandia Sibiu also develops private brands for retail chains and for distribution firms, among which Aro, Clever, Profi and Sarto.
The domestic pate market is highly competitive, numbering over 60 different brands and 750 products.
The market started strengthening in 2005, after the Norwegian giant Orkla Foods purchased the company Ardealul Covasna, and the Czechs from Hame took over Romconserv Caracal. Hame invested several million euros in the factory's reconstruction, and the number of employees rose from 60, at the time of takeover, to 250 at present.
On the other hand, Orkla invested 1.5 million euros in Covasna-based canned food factory and relaunched the Ardealul brand, estimating a 50% rise in sales for the next year.
The canned meat market will amount to 50 million euros this year, up by 10% against last year, with the production capacity advancing by as much as 35%, according to the representatives of the companies in thi
