The company announced at the beginning of the year that in 2011 it planned to see a 10% sales increase on the three segments where it operates: beer, soft drinks and water.
“In the first half of this year, the volume of URBB sales followed a positive, upward trend, exceeding beginning-of-the-year estimates,” said Doron Zilberstein, marketing vice-president of URBB. “Against the similar period of last year, we recorded a moderate sales growth, which was more apparent on the beer segment. Beer brands with the biggest percentage sales growth were Tuborg and Skol,” added Zilberstein.
He pointed out that the Bilbor water brand, launched last year in June, was “starting to gain market share.”
URBB posted a RON343.4 million (EUR80.4 million) turnover in 2009, according to Finance Ministry data, and in 2010 the company grew 3% in terms of value, with the turnover exceeding RON350 million (EUR82 million).
After the half-year results, the company maintains its original growth forecast, expecting sales volume to faster than the market.
“In the first half of this year, we noticed a modest rebound of beer consumption habits at macroeconomic level, with customers starting to spend more on premium brands. We also noticed a slight revival in consumption habits when going out versus at home,” said Doron Zilberstein. He added that the launch of new products (550 ml canned Tuborg and 750 ml Tuborg bottle) as well as other campaigns are among the factors that influenced sales in the first half of the year.
Zilberstein, 44, has been marketing vice-president of URBB since September 2008.
According to Trade Registry data, the sole shareholder of URBB is International Breweries, registered in the Netherlands. According to information provided last year by company representatives, URBB is 24% held by Danish group Carlsberg, while the remaining 76% is held by several groups based in Israel and Romania. Among the Romanian shareholders is businessman Octav Cobzareanu, according to information in the Official Journal.
The Romanian beer market amounted to 17 million hectoliters last year, down 3.5%, according to data of Berarii Romaniei (Romanian Brewers Association), with other companies on the market including Ursus, Heineken, Bergenbier and Romaqua (with the Albacher and Dorfer brands). (EUR1=RON4.2669)
(English version by Daniela Stoican; Editing by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)