Strauss injects a further 4.5m euros in Doncafe
The Israelis are investing another 4.5m euros in the promotion of Doncafe, the brand launched on the market in 2008 in the wake of 15m-euro investments in the first year.
"We must boost consumers' awareness and loyalty. We're still
building the brand," states Marius Meleşteu, general manager of
Strauss Romania, also announcing the 2011 sales target: a single
digit advance against this year, amid an expected further coffee
consumption decline.
The company's total investments in Doncafe thus revolve around 20m
euros by late 2011, a value also including the budgets for package
change projects. Doncafe sales domestically reached 284m RON (67m
euros) in 2009, with Doncafe as the second biggest brand on the
market, after Jacobs (Kraft Foods).
Consumers' brand loyalty is the main reason Strauss has lost market
share after launching Doncafe in 2008. In the first year of betting
on Doncafe international brand, the company lost clients and saw
its market share go down by 2-3%, according to the data supplied by
Strauss.
Meleşteu states Doncafe saw its market share return to growth in
mid-2010. "Each company's objective is market share, of course.
Now, we do not want leaps, but constant month-to-month increases
and improved brand awareness," he says.