Cramele Recas posts 144% growth in sales

Cramele Recas, the largest winemaking complex in Banat recorded a 144% increase in sales on the domestic market in the first half of this year, compared with the same period of 2005. Recas sold more than 855,000 bottles of wine in the first six months, dramatically increasing sales figures from the 350,000 bottles recorded in the first half of last year.
"Our sales on the domestic market witnessed about a 200% growth in terms of value, to 2.7 million RON (770,000 euros). We hope the second half of the year will be just as prolific," stated Philip Cox, the commercial manager of the company.
The "La Putere" wine range, designed for the hotel-catering-restaurant segment four months ago, contributed to the first half results, registering sales of 45,000 bottles.
According to the information provided by the company, sales of the Recas wine range increased by 200% over the past month compared with the previous month. Recas wines were sold only to the hotel-restaurant-catering segment, but the company decided to relaunch the range, focusing on the retail segment.
In 2005 the company registered a 56% rise in sales, to 6.4 million euros. Cramele Recas expects turnover to go up by 20%, to 7.7 million euros in 2006.
Cramele Recas, one of the largest wine exporters in the country, shifted its focus to the domestic market this year. The company intends to increase its reputation among Romanian consumers, after over 60% of annual sales were made on foreign markets.
Cramele Recas anticipates the volume of exports to be over 2 million bottles, 17% more than in 2005. Sales in terms of value will increase to 2.2 million euros, from 1.9 million euros posted in 2005.
Cramele Recas exported 1.7 million bottles of wine last year. The company intends to focus on bottled wine only this year.