This is the first January growth on the beer market after five years of decline.
Such results are unparalleled since the boom days, 2007 to be precise, when sales hit a record high for the month (almost 1 million hectoliters).
The 24% growth in January may be because of the not so cold weather at the start of the year, given that there were no major soccer competitions that might have driven sales.
January continues the upward trend that started last year when sales increased by almost 5%, sending out a positive signal for the entire fast moving consumer goods sector.
“2012 was a year of slight consumption rebound, especially of beer”, a product people like to drink both when going out and at home, said Roccos Cosmatos, marketing vice-president of United Romanian Breweries Bereprod (URBB).
Statistics show that that January has been the slowest in terms of sales volumes in the last few years. Last year it accounted for only 3.3% of the annual sales.
Almost 72% of beer sales are made through retail and the rest through the hospitality segment. Taking into account a price of EUR0.8 per liter sold through retail channels and EUR1.7 per liter sold through hospitality businesses, Romanians spent almost EUR80 million for beer in the first month of 2013.
The most important brewers in Romania are Heineken, Ursus, Bergenbier, URBB and Romaqua (Albacher and Dorfer).
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)