Romania: Romanian brewer Bergenbier reports 10% yoy increase in 2021 turnover

Romanian brewer Bergenbier, part of U.S.-Canadian group Molson Coors Beverage Company, said on July 11 its turnover rose 10% year-on-year to 716 million lei ($147 million / 145 million euro) in 2021 and announced it plans to further develop its beyond beer portfolio, the SeeNews reported.

"In 2021, Covid-19 restrictions continued to affect the HoReCa sector. We managed to compensate through our strong Off Trade channel and strategic plans helped us to have a solid performance at company level, in line with forecasts," Bergenbier general manager Mihai Voicu said in a company press release.

The company's long-term plan is to diversify its product portfolio in the beyond beer segment, as beer mixes and flavored beers are increasingly popular. These products' sales on the Romanian market increased by 20% last year.

"The current year has come with a series of new challenges prompted by record inflation, and rising prices of utilities and raw materials which affects the entire beer production and distribution chain," Bergenbier financial director Alexandru Nomicos said.

Some 98% of all raw materials used in production by Bergenbier originate from Romania.

"The outlook for the second half of 2022 is far from optimistic. Consumers' purchasing power has fallen to a worrying level, and our challenges are growing by the day. As a manufacturer, we are trying to mitigate this additional financial impact," Mihai Voicu said.

Bergenbier was founded in 1994 and has a factory in the southern city of Ploiesti.

Its parent group Molson Coors Beverage Company is a multinational drink and brewing company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, which was formed in 2005 through the merger of Canada's Molson and Coors from the U.S.

11 July, 2022