Pernod Ricard wants to boost its sales by 30% in 2008

According to Tudor Furir, the company's General Manager, the surge in the French company's business can be explained by an increase in buying power of the population and the promotion of new products.

The company forecasts a 50-60 percent surge in business in 2007, compared to sales in 2006 of €11 million and profit worth RON 5.08 (€1.45 mln), triple that in 2005.

Pernod Ricard yesterday launched a new range of whiskey, Ballantine's Super Premium, which includes three brands of Ballantine's whiskey. "The Ballantine's range registered sales of over 5.3 million 9-liter cases internationally from 2005-2006," said Alan Grieg, Manager of Heritage Ballantine's.

"I believe the consumption of alcoholic drinks in Romania will drop in future but estimate that the market share of imported alcoholic beverages will double in the coming three-four years," said Furir.

The Romanian imported alcoholic beverage market is valuated by its main players to be worth some €70-80 mln, and has a 4-5 percent share of the total domestic market. Pernod Ricard's main competitors are Heinrig, Cristalex, Sollers, and BDG. The best-sold imported drink is whiskey, with an estimated value of €45 mln in 2007.