The year 2015 was a record year for the NARTD industry, as companies saw their highest sales and profits since the start of their operations in Romania. The best such example is Coca-Cola HBC Romania, the market leader, which posted its highest revenue since arriving in this country, more than RON2.1 billion and doubled profit. Romaqua Group (the maker of Borsec mineral water), the largest Romanian-held business in this industry, posted record profit of RON47 million.
Rio Bucovina, acquired by Poland’s Maspex group, too, posted growth. Maspex’s local subsidiary, Tymbark Maspex, saw growth, as well, posting RON327 million revenue last year. The takeover of Rio Bucovina by Tymbark Maspex is the biggest in the NARTD industry in the last five years and gave the Maspex group a 14% share of the still mineral water market and a significant presence on the naturally sparkling mineral water segment. The deal included both the Bucovina brand and the three production facilities in Vatra Dornei, Timisoara and Giurgiu.
Quadrant Amroq Beverages, the bottler of PepsiCo slipped into the red, posting RON11.6 million net loss, while sales were 15% higher.
Carpathian Springs, the bottler of the Aqua Carpatica mineral water brand, saw 40% higher revenue, RON100 million. The overall NARTD market grew last year by almost 10%, according to Coca-Cola HBC Romania data.
The market therefore stood at more than 1.7 billion liters, not including discount stores and Kaufland here, according to ZF’s estimates based on the data previously supplied by the market leader. The good weather and VAT cut helped this growth, companies in the industry say.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)