Patisserie company Fornetti Romania will in June launch production in its third plant in Timisoara, in the wake of investments worth more than 3.5 million euros, initiated last October.
"The new plant will reach full capacity in October, when we estimate a production peak of 1,700 tonnes", stated Zoltan Panczel, general manager of Fornetti Romania.
He also said the investment in the new production centre was necessary, as the company''s sales had doubled. "We have looked at the way sales are growing across the country, at their dynamics and seen the growth potential", specified Panczel.
In the first four months, the company sold over 3,500 tonnes of "fornetti" (patisserie products), as compared to only 1,900 tonnes in the corresponding period of last year. As four mini-tarts weigh about 100g, some 140 million tarts were sold through Fornetti network during the first four months of this year.
"The almost 80% surge noted in the first quarter supports our projections pointing to turnover worth 17 million euros", specified Panczel.
In 2004, the company''s turnover exceeded 10 million euros, almost threefold higher year-on-year.
One of the company''s main targets is to increase production capacities as new stores are opening.
At present, Fornetti Romania owns a network of 325 stores in a franchise system, planning to open another 100 stores this year. "We are not targeting towns because they are dominated by specific gastronomic habits and it would be harder for them to get used to our products. We plan to follow supply routes and develop in cities where we already own stores", Panczel also said.
The network expansion is not done randomly, but following market research based on social and demographic factors. A Fornetti store has an area of some 10-20 square metres.
The Bucharest market is the most profitable for Fornetti Romania, with over 40% of the output being delivered here, where the company owns 80 stores.
To sustain sales, the company last year invested 400,000 euros in the construction of a frigorific warehouse and of a new branch, in Bucharest.
The product range includes 9 mini types of tarts (sold per kg) and 2 types sold by piece.
Set up in 2001 as a Romanian-Hungarian venture, the company was originally a partner of licence owner Fornetti Kft., headquartered in Hungary and then became the master-franchiser of Fornetti for Romania.
dana.ciriperu@zf.ro
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