The Romanian wine market reached 3.7 million hectoliters in 2024, a quantity that puts it on the 12th place in the world and on the sixth in Europe, according to the latest report from the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). However, Romania’s market share has declined due to the fact that the local market experienced the second most dramatic decline (20%) in production in Europe, after France, last year, as a result of the drought.
Purcari Wineries is the leader at group level, but the results are not exclusively for Romania. Originally from the Republic of Moldova, the Purcari group currently consists of seven companies, operating in three different countries. Winemaker Purcari (WINE.RO), listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, ended 2024 with RON382.3 million revenue, up 3.4% on the previous year. Net profit shrank by RON5.2 million to RON58.7 million in 2024 compared with 2023, and the profit margin went down from 17% to 15%.
Recas Wineries in Banat dominates the ranking in terms of profit, with a net margin of 26%, up from 24% in 2023. Recas also had the highest net profit among the top five players last year, RON83.6 million in 2024. It posted RON323.1 million revenue in 2024, up 2% from the previous year.
Also last year, Zarea, a company owned by Polish investors, surpassed Jidvei, owned by the Necsulescu family, and climbed to third place. Zarea had solid revenue growth of 16%, but also a proportional increase in net profit. Last year, the company made RON245.1 million revenue, and the profit stood at RON17.7 million, according to public data.
Jidvei had a slight increase in revenue to RON220 million, but not enough to maintain its previous position. However, both companies have a profit margin of 7% in 2024, similar to that in 2023.
Cotnari from Iasi, ranked fifth, grew modestly but steadily. Cotnari saw a 6.2% increase in revenue to RON142.7 million and profit increased by RON3.3 million to more than RON10 million. The profit margin increased from 5% to 7%.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)