Ciurtin defies the crisis: he budgets 40% growth

Albalact Alba Iulia, the only company owned by domestic entrepreneurs among the top five dairy producers, has budgeted a 40% turnover increase for this year, double the figure derived in 2008, in the wake of production expansion and the takeover of Campulung Moldovenesc-based Raraul cheese producer. "In the past, production capacities were limited. In the autumn of 2008, we reached the right parameters and in December the figures we wanted. This year, we're counting on certain product categories we sell less now, but which will post volume increases during this year," stated Raul Ciurtin, the chairman and most important shareholder in Albalact. The brands developed by Albalact, Zuzu and Fulga, will further have the biggest contribution to turnover growth, while the takeover of Raraul will bring several million euros and the target of gaining the third position for the cheese products category. In the past two years, Albalact has invested over 10m euros to build a new dairy plant in Alba county and another 3.5m euros to buy Raraul. Thus, the producer, a small player on the dairy market in 2004, now ranks first among independent producers and fourth after multinationals Danone, Friesland and Hochland in the general ranking of the market, according to ZF estimates. Though this is so far the most ambitious budget announced by a food industry producer for 2009, Albalact's growth plan is also based on the advance of a market that has expanded by rates of above 25% in the past three years.