Producers operating in the bakery, dairy and charcuterie sectors do not expect a consumption rebound in the first quarter of next year, with most of them anticipating 2009 trends will maintain in the first half of 2010.
"I don't believe there will be any major changes. Pasta consumption will probably rise a little," stated Constantin Boromiz, chairman and one of the five shareholders in Boromir group, the biggest domestic producer of bakery, a market put at around 2bn euros.
He added the bread consumption downward trend, to around 110 kg per capita at present, came amid the diversification of the bakery specialty segment, particularly on the patisserie segment. "Sales are now probably feeling the impact of recession, as people are less wasteful," the businessman coordinating a group with 148m-euro turnover in 2008 also says.
Radu Timis, chairman and stakeholder in CrisTim charcuterie producer, also maintains the 10% consumption decline trend registered in the past three months of this year will continue through 2010.
"I believe the first quarter of 2010 will see the charcuterie market fall by 10%, leaving aside the 20% sales decline posted in this period amid domestic seasonality," stated the founder of the charcuterie producer with turnover worth above 90m euros in 2008.
Domestic charcuterie consumption has dropped by 10% to 20% on the entire market in the past three months of this year, according to Timis. This has pushed the charcuterie market down to around 700m euros, 100m euros less than in 2008.
The dairy market is thus now among the few segments of the food industry likely to see a consumption increase in the first half of next year, provided that producers continue with this year's promotional campaigns and see dairy sales go up during the winter holidays as well. "In the first 10 months, dairy sales went up by around 10-12
