ZF English

Alka aims to double exports

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23.04.2008, 18:58 18

Alka sales on foreign markets could amount to 3 million euros this year and account for around 6% of turnover. The company hopes to double its export level this year, after having registered a similar growth rate in 2007.
Amir Krenzia, general manager of Alka, says the company's best-selling exports are dried fruit and nuts, a segment on which the manufacturer holds the top position domestically with a 30% market share.
"We want to have an even more active presence on the market of health & diet products, which is why we will continue to expand with a larger range of dried fruit and nut products," explains Krenzia. On this segment, the company recently reached a monthly production capacity of 1,000 tonnes, after it acquired two machines for dry roasting peanuts from Strauss, the producer of Elita Coffee. Krenzia has not revealed the sum paid, but the figure could be just over 0.5 million euros.
Strauss announced it would leave the dried fruit market this year, on which it has been present with the Delis brand since 2004, after in 2007, it sold the biscuit brand Merlin to Dobrogea Grup. Coffee sales account for the biggest share in the Israeli company.
Alka's manager sees a great deal of potential for the dried fruit and nuts market, on which it competes with local manufacturers such as Star Foods, Standard Snacks, as well as importers such as Mogyi (from Hungary).
"Last year, we registered a significant 35% increase on the dried fruit and nuts market," says Krenzia.
Wafers and dried fruit currently hold the biggest share of Alka's sales. The snacks producer, which is controlled by the Krenzia family, is a local company.
Last year, Alka opened a branch in Hungary, its first outside Romania. However, Krenzia believes Hungary is an extremely challenging market for Romanian companies.
"There is a slight reticence in Hungary for products from the East, and, at first glance, the market appears unappealing due to its size," Krenzia adds.