Processed meats producer Angst Ro has seen its first-quarter turnover grow by nearly 70% to 8 million euros amid rising sales throughout its own 21-store-strong retail chain.
"The group''s turnover is 68% higher than for the same period last year, though 9.1% did actually come from the deprecation of the euro, with the difference being 40% covered by the increase in our own stores, and 19% by the rest of the customers. The development of vegetal products and semi-cooked foods contributed a great deal to the growth, as well as the rest of the traditional products," said Stefan Padure, Angst Ro Bucharest sales manager.
The company estimates its turnover will grow by 30% this year compared with 2004 to reach 40 million euros. "Although profits are lower than last year in terms of percentages, they did increase in terms of absolute value."
Angst makes pork, beef and chicken products, as well as fresh meat. The company recently launched fish and seafood products, which are imported from Vietnam and currently only sold through its own retail chain, though they will be available to the hotel-restaurant-catering network soon. Angst now has 21 stores, 18 of which are in Bucharest, with two others in Buftea and one in Sinaia. They intend to open ten more stores this year. "We have already opened one store in Bucharest and so far we have contracts for three more," said Padure.
Average investment per store amounts to 120,000 euros. He did not reveal the locations for the new stores, though shareholders did discuss a possible shift of focus to outside Bucharest last year.
"Our retail chain makes a major contribution to raising awareness for our brand so that we have the entire product circuit available to the end consumer and therefore we can process information about tastes and preferences."
Angst Ro is running a SAPARD-funded programme worth 1.5 million euros in order to upgrade its production facilities to meet European Union standards.
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
