The producer of the Julius Meinl coffee brand has bought a distribution firm in Targu Secuiesc and is preparing to develop a network of coffee shops in a franchise system.
Austrian group Julius Meinl Industrie Holding GMBH, the producer of Julius Meinl coffee brand, last autumn acquired Novo SRL, a company headquartered in Targu Secuiesc, Covasna county.
Officials of the two companies would not disclose the value of the deal, which market sources put at about 1.8 million euros.
Built from scrap by two local entrepreneurs, Tibor Dobri and Simon Attila Ladislau, Novo was the exclusive importer of Julius Meinl coffee brands on the Romanian market.
"We have been present on the Romanian market for four years and our business has seen quite fast growth each year. I could say this is where Julius Meinl coffee sales have witnessed the fastest growth among all countries in the region," said Tibor Dobri, one of the two former associates of Novo. After the sale, the company changed its name to Julius Meinl Romania, and Tibor Dobri took over the general manager position.
"The deal involved four contracts. It also included a real estate transaction, namely the sale of the company''s headquarters to the new shareholder," said Dobri.
Julius Meinl was legally advised in this deal by Stoica and Asociatii law firm. Julius Meinl Industrie Holding Gmbh is an investment holding located in Vienna, concentrating its operations in Central and Eastern Europe.
Beside its main field of activity, coffee processing and trading, the firm opened a supermarket in Vienna in 2000 - Julius Meinl am Graben, and also owns a private investment bank, Julius Meinl Bank.
Julius Meinl has been significantly involved in the Romanian business environment over recent years. Through its investment bank, the group controls one of the main players on the Romanian chocolate market, Kandia-Excelent.
Julius Meinl also has solid expansion plans linked to the coffee market.
Dobri quotes the launch a network of franchised coffee shops as part of these plans.
"We are now drafting plans for our expansion in a franchise system and this will be first implemented in Germany. In about twelve or eighteen months, the project will also be launched onto the Romanian market," said the company representative. There are already several Julius Meinl coffee shops in Bucharest, but, according to Dobri, these are not franchises, as they are only using the firm''s brand.
Julius Meinl Romania also targets an expanded distribution area and higher visibility at the seaside this year. georgiana.stavarache@zf.ro
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
