Romania: Beer market stays flat in 2016

Romania's beer market stayed flat in terms of volume in 2016 as compared to the previous year, at 15.8 million hectolitres, the Brewers of Romania association said on April 12.

Beer consumption per capita was 80 litres in 2016, at the same level as in the previous year, the association said in a statement.

Investment made in 2016 by the members of the association - Bergenbier, Heineken Romania, Ursus Breweries, United Romanian Breweries Bereprod, Martens and Clinica de Bere - amounted to 69.7 million euro ($73.9 million), up 27% on the year. Combined cumulative investment by the members of the association has reached 1.4 billion euro to date.

"The results of 2016 are a natural evolution for a competitive market such as the beer market. Stable fiscal context allowed the beer market to evolve naturally in the absence of pressure factors that would condition the trend," Brewers of Romania president, Shachar Shaine, said.

The share of local beer brands exceeds 97% of domestic consumption, and 70% of ingredients used in making beer come from Romanian producers, the association said.

On an annual comparison basis, beer imports rose by 0.09 million hectolitres to 0.44 million hectolitres last year, equal to less than 3% of the market. Exports slightly decreased, by 0.08 million hectolitres to 0.42 million hectolitres.

The association members employed some 3,600 in 2016, some 3% less than in 2015. The members of the association operate breweries in Ploiesti, Constanța, Craiova, Miercurea Ciuc, Targu-Mures, Pantelimon, Timisoara, Buzau, Brasov and Galati, and two micro-breweries in Cluj-Napoca and Timisoara. The beer sector supports directly and indirectly over 85,000 jobs countrywide.

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