Coca-Cola posts over 600m-euro sales

Coca-Cola HBC Romania’s growth pace halved in 2008, when the company reported 11% increase against the previous year, to almost 1.2 billion litres. In terms of value, sales could amount to over 600 million euros, based on a 50% lower turnover growth rate against the one reported in the 2006-2007 period (of 40% in euros). The slowdown in Coca-Cola’s growth rate in Romania comes amid a slower rise in local soft drinks consumption in the last year. The company, which has also been affected by the worsening of the global economic environment, has announced it will lay off 100 staff, of its current 2,300 by outsourcing marketing and financial data operations. Over the last two years, the bottler has cut its staff in Romania by around 700 people, after closing two plants and after completely outsourcing distribution. “We have taken efficiency-oriented measures in advance, and this currently enables us to deal with the economic turmoil better,” said Calin Dragan, general manager of Coca-Cola Hellenic for Romania and the Republic of Moldova.