Romania: Special beers account for merely 3% of the market

Special beers are one of the latest trends in terms of consumption on the local beer market, but cover only 3% of the market currently, with beer specialties accounting for as much as 10% of the world market, according to Ziarul Financiar report of December, 04.

Volumes of special beer sold are much more profitable than lager beers," says Vasile Joanta, general manager of Galati-based Martens, one of the top ten players on the local market which produces white beer Ma Donna and abbey beer Altvs Abbey Beer. Profitability is high given that worldwide, with a 10% share in the volumes of beer on the market, special beers account for 30% of the market in terms of value.

According to data on the market, 96% of the Romanian consumers still favour blond beer. Only 1% of the market is accounted for by alcohol-free beer or low-alcohol beer.

"If we consider all types of special beer, this segment accounts for some 3% of the Romanian beer market," says Edwin Botterman, president and CEO of Brau Union, the biggest player on the local market. This percentage puts the market of special beers at a volume of 450,000 hectolitres of a beer market totalling 15 million hectolitres. On the specialties segment, Brau Union sells two brands, Silva Strong Dark and Schlossgold.

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