Bonjour operator in melt down

Bonjour, one of Bucharest”s best known pastry and fast-food brands, is likely to disappear from the market after Eurica Services SRL, the company that runs the Bonjour restaurants, began closure procedures, according to the Trade Registry.

For more than a month, the Bonjour outlet at Europe House has been covered in metal grills, while that in Pasajul Universitatii has been papered over.

The Bonjour locations in the Bucuresti Mall and Carrefour Colentina are to be handed over to other companies.

“In the Bucharest Mall Eurica had rented over 130 square metres of space and ended the contract after almost six years with no debts,” said Radu Tanasescu, a resident manager with Bucharest Mall.

According to the Trade Registry, Eurica Services is owned by two Israeli businessmen – Moshe Levy, with a 95% stake, and Abramovici Samuel-Zeev, 5%.

Eurica Services representatives could not be contacted since the company”s previous contact details are no longer valid.

The latest data on the financial situation of Eurica Services, as published on the Finance Ministry web site, indicates turnover of over 1.5m euros and net profits of 23,600 euros against debts of 650,000 euros for 2003.

The company also had more than 123 employees. In 2002, the company”s business was worth 980,000 euros against losses of 1,000 euros.

In line with the State Office for Inventions and Brands, the Bonjour brand has been owned since March 2002 by Eurica Marketing SRL, a company registered at the same address as Eurica Services.