“On a market with a slowed growth rate, we ended the first half of the year with an increase that is fourfold that of the market level,” said the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ursus Breweries, Stephan Maria Weber.

According to company officials, all brands in the portfolio of Ursus Breweries registered outstanding performances in the first half of the current financial year. Timisoreana continues to enjoy the highest growth in volume in the mainstream segment, of 31 percent, thus consolidating its market leader position. At company level, the highest increase was registered by the Peroni brand, whose sales doubled and whose distribution expanded.

The Romanian beer market amounted to 19.5 million hectoliters in 2007, and 2008 estimates indicate a five percent increase in sales volume, up to 20.5 million hectoliters. Major players are Ursus, Heineken Romania, InBev Romania, and United Romanian Breweries Bereprod.

Ursus Breweries has an estimated 26.3 percent market share, according to the company, quoting the data of the MEMRB research company, valid through September. The company owns four beer factories in Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Buzau, and Brasov, and has over 1,500 employees.

SABMiller registered a total 10 percent increase in volume and 2 percent organic growth on the European market in the first six months of the current financial year.