“We continued to grow, improve our margins and keep costs in check.”
Another factor in Interbrands’ growth last year was the new partnerships with cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris (2015 was the first full year of the partnership i.e.) and with Fater for the national distribution of Ace (bleach), Sherif added.
Interbrands posted 731 million lei (EUR163 million) revenue last year, up 9% on 2014, while net profit doubled to more than RON30 million.
Rand Sherif owns Interbrands together with Holson Holding registered in Cyprus and held by Lebanese investors (the Sarkis family).
Interbrands serves as a distributor for British American Tobacco, Procter&Gamble, Kotanyi, Henkel, Tchibo and Mondelez, according to the latest data available.
It also expanded into pharmaceutical distribution after having bought Europharm Holding, the distribution company of pharmaceutical producer GSK in 2015, a deal the Competition Council approved this March. Pharmaceutical distribution is an over EUR5 billion market a year, according to the latest available information.
Interbrands’ rivals on the distribution market include Aquila, Macromex and Whiteland. (EUR1=RON4.4910)
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)