Coca-Cola targets more products in Romania

Coca-Cola HBC, bottler of Coca-Cola beverages in Romania, plans to expand its portfolio of products sold on the local market, according to Coca-Cola HBC General Manager for Romania and the Republic of Moldova, Calin Dragan, who said any products are interesting for the company if they are likely to bring profits.
“We are studying the business, and as long as it proves significant in size and profitability we are going to enter that segment,” he said. 

Dragan declined to comment on new products targeted by the company, but emphasized that the Coca-Cola branch in Cyprus has expanded to include dairy products, while the Greek branch sells potato chips. Coca-Cola currently produces soft drinks Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Cappy, Nestea ice teas, the Burn energizer drink, and Dorna mineral water in Romania. The company recently launched its ready-to-drink iced coffee Nescafe Xpress. Coca-Cola is represented in this country by two companies, Coca-Cola Romania, which owns the brands and produces the concentrates, and Coca-Cola HBC, which produces, distributes and sells the actual drinks. 

According to market sources, the company was interested in La Fantana, the largest local water cooler bottler. However, the business’ former owner, Swedish Oresa Ventures Investments fund, recently sold 85 percent of La Fantana shares to the Innova Capital investment fund. 

The international management of Coca-Cola announced its plans to buy mineral water with vitamins producer Glaceau, for some €3 billion, to improve its position on the non-sparkling beverages market. 

The Romanian soft drink market (including mineral water) is estimated to be worth €850 million, for a production amounting to 2.2 billion liters, according to major companies on the market. The main producers are Coca-Cola HBC; PepsiCo, European Drinks, Romaqua and Parmalat.