Beer consumption up, local brewers out

The faster and faster disappearance of the independent brewers, the entry of the European Drinks Group in full gear and the 11.9% higher consumption were the main features of the Romanian beer market in 2003. The Association of Brewers in Romania (APBR) says the market reached an all time high in 2003, 12.83 million hectolitres, exceeding the 12.08 million hectolitre level in 2002. Last year’s growth came after two disappointing years, during which the beer consumption fell compared to 2000, in spite of optimistic expectations among brewers. Besides growing, the market was also faster to consolidate. The top five players, Brau Union, SABMiller, Interbrew, Carlsberg (through Tuborg Romania) and Bere Mures had come to account for 76.4% of the market in late 2003, instead of 70% in 2001. Those that lost ground were the independent regional producers, the number of which has been drastically dwindling in the last few years and will keep doing so. ZF