Alin Ursu, Angelli: Everything we lose domestically we gain externally

Alin Ursu, Angelli Spumante & Aperitive manager, says the sparkling wine producers' budget for the next five years is built on a 5-7% annual growth rate, after the advance had stood to 10-12% in the past seven years.
"Next year we want to cover the 10% loss we budgeted for the domestic market in 2009 and reach the level of 2008 (on the domestic market i.e.). Adding exports, we'll have a turnover advance," said Ursu in an interview with ZF.
The company, which in February changed its name into Angelli Spumante & Aperitive from Astese Production, in the first nine months saw its domestic sales go down by 10% amid shrinking stocks at some distributors "because of the current situation".
"Our strength now lies in exports. Whereas in late 2008 we had 120,000 units sold abroad, we now have 580,000 bottles," Ursu added.
The volume of exports in the first three quarters topped last year's level, when the company delivered 300,000 bottles abroad. For this year, estimates show Angelli could export more than one million bottles.
In terms of value, exports brought the firm around half a million euros last year and in 2009 may generate 1.6-1.7 million euros. Still, the weight of exports continues to be low, at only 8%, with the percentage due to top 10% in the following years.
"Everything we lose domestically we gain abroad. We make deliveries to Hungary, Italy, Spain, Greece, Latvia, but we also have some contacts with the US, where we haven't started deliveries, yet," Ursu says.
Still, the most important period for the company is the last quarter. "Whereas during ordinary months we sell 400,000-500,000 bottles, during these months we sell 1 or 1.5 million units. This is the decisive period," explains Ursu.
Angelli will stay in the black this year, according to Ursu's estimates, but profit will be lower than the 2008 one. Ursu says his priority this year is to maintain the market share, currently at 70%.