No international brand has made it into the exclusive club of those whose annual sales exceed 50 million euros, while domestic brands such as Timisoreana, Bergenbier, Golden Brau, Ursus and Burger have all overshot this mark, by as much as tens of millions of euros in some cases, according to a survey conducted by ZF.
Whether part of multinationals' portfolios or developed by the biggest independent brewers with several hundred years' experience, or much younger, domestic brands are the leaders on a market that has topped 1.2bn euros.
Whereas ten years ago these brands sold several hundred thousand hectolitres or even less, in late 2007 more than five domestic beer brands generated sales worth above one million hectolitres, which could translate into at least 50m euros.
Timisoreana, the best-selling beer brand in Romania, in 2002 generated less than 10% of Ursus Breweries sales, while in late 2007 the same brand accounted for almost half of volumes sold by the domestic branch of SABMiller group. With a sales volume of 2.2 million hectolitres in 2007, Timisoreana could derive sales worth 130-150m euros, according to ZF estimates. In terms of volume, Timisoreana sales surged by 43% in the last fiscal year, and by 51% in terms of value.
Bergenbier, one of Timisoreana's main rivals domestically, generates almost half of InBev's domestic sales, according to previous statements by Mihai Ghyka, the company's former general manager. As a result, out of a sales volume of 3.9 million hectolitres InBev registered last year, Bergenbier sold over 1.9 million hectolitres.
The best-selling brand in Heineken Romania's portfolio is Golden Brau, with turnover worth around 100m euros, according to ZF estimates.
Starting this year, Heineken Romania's portfolio will also include Sovata, Dracula and Neumarkt brands previously owned by Bere Mures. The pr
