“The total coffee market was flat in volume in the first nine months. In terms of value, however, it grew by 9% in January-September 2012 compared with the year-ago period, because of the international raw material price trend, which did not show that much in the prices paid by consumers,” said Melesteu quoting data from a report of the market research firm Nielsen.
The coffee product categories available in Romania are roasted ground coffee, coffee beans, soluble coffee, coffee-based specialties and capsules.
“Strauss’ internal estimates show the coffee market (retail, on-premise, vending machines and capsules) may reach EUR350 million this year, up on last year, mainly because of the increase in the international coffee price of the last few years,” Melesteu said.
The coffee market was estimated at EUR300 million last year, according to ZF data.
“Our company’s sales (retail, vending machines, on-premise and capsules) went up 14% in the first nine months of the year, without including exports,” Melesteu said. He added exports of the company accounted for no more than 5% of its production.
Melesteu expects 2012 revenue to go up 17% on the year.
The data on the Finance Ministry’s website show Strauss Romania registered revenues of 212 million lei (EUR47 million) and losses of RON15 million last year.
“Doncafe is the second leading coffee brand in Romania, according to Nielsen retail audit data, with a 21% share of the roasted ground coffee market and 19.7% share of the instant coffee market in terms of value in January-September 2012,” Strauss official said.
The largest competitors in the local coffee business are Mondelez (the former Kraft Foods), with its Jacobs brand, Nestle with Nescafe, Tchibo, Cafea Fortuna and Metropolitan Caffe (a brand of mineral water producer Romaqua).
Strauss arrived in Romania in 2008 when it took over Elite Romania.
Romanians drank 48 million kilos of coffee last year, 1% more than in 2010. Coffee drinking is recovering from the 1% decline in 2009 and 2010 compared with 2008. However, Romania ranks 24th among the 27 EU countries in terms of consumption per capita, with its 2.5 kilos. The number one in the ranking, Luxembourg recorded consumption per capita of 24 kilos in 2011. (EUR1=RON4.5089)
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)