Dairy producer Napolact SA will invest in an ice cream factory this year, Gerbrand de Boer, general manager of Friesland Romania, which holds 40 percent in Napolact told Ziarul Financiar. The exact investment is to be endorsed at the end of the month, during the General Meeting of the shareholders.
The company makes several types of ice cream and is among the top players on this market. Napolact last year released five new ice cream flavours, four of which are sold as Fiesta Premium and one as Cedra.
The market leader is Greece's Delta, which accounts for 40-45 percent of the market in terms of volume and for more than 50 percent in terms of value. The total market is estimated to be worth approximately $30 million. Other important players on this market are Piatra Neamt-based Kubo Ice Cream, which makes the Amicii ice cream, Cam Bucharest, Mercur Braila and Prodlacta Brasov. There are also the imports, but they only make up for no more than 10 percent of the sales, according to market surveys.
The domestic ice cream market is highly seasonal in nature, with consumption reaching about half a kilo, compared with 15-20 kilos per capita as in the European Union countries. A possible explanation for the low consumption is the low purchasing power, which often makes consumers choose no-name cheap ice cream over brand-name ice cream. Surveys show only 5 percent of the ice cream consumers prefer brand-name ice cream. The rains in full ice cream season last year affected all producers alike.
Napolact was the object of one of the most significant deals of last year, that is the takeover of 40.69 percent in the company by Dutch Friesland Group following a takeover bid worth $10 million. The Employees Association still holds 39.44 percent in Napolact, but speculations on the Stock Exchange point to a possible new takeover bid by the Dutch company.
Napolact in 2001 posted 26 million euros in turnover, with profit reaching three million euros. Its turnover in the first half of last year amounted to approximately 16 million euros, while profit was 90,000 euros. Friesland entered the Romanian market in 2001, when it bought the operations of Nutricia Dairy and Drinks (NDD) in Central and Eastern Europe. Friesland currently owns Somesana, Belcar-Deta and SCIL Mures factories.
claudia.covaci@zf.ro
Pentru alte știri, analize, articole și informații din business în timp real urmărește Ziarul Financiar pe WhatsApp Channels
