Ursus recorded RON739 million sales in the first half of 2013 generated by such brands as Ursus, Grolsch, Redd’s, Timisoreana, Ciucas, Stejar, Azuga, Peroni Nastro Azzuro and Pilsner Urquell.
“As a result of an overall market decline, our performance was affected, too. This showed in a lower sales volume due to a low consumer sentiment and to two consecutive excise duty hikes, by almost 16% in lei in 2013 and in 2014 caused by the artificially set exchange rate of 4.73 lei to one euro, which hurt consumers’ purchasing power,” Ursus officials said.
The beer market performed poorly this year, and the sales volume fell by 9% to 7.3 million hectoliters in the first half, according to the Brewers of Romania Association. The slow first half compounded by the slow summer created the premises for 2014 to be another year of decline for the industry.
Brewers posted decline in 2013, as well and have been unable to get consumption back up despite promotions and new product launches.
Heineken, the number two on the beer market by revenue, posted RON549 million revenue in the first half, down 4% on the RON571 million.
Rival Bergenbier, held by Canada’s Molson Coors, posted the best results of the top three. It saw its sales down only 1% in the first half to RON219 million.
The cumulated sales of the three largest brewers in Romania shrank by 4% in the first half and it is unlikely the decline will be offset in the rest of the year.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)