European Drinks, among top five brewers

Four months after having entered the beer market, European Drinks has already climbed among the top five brewers in Romania. Late last year, after two months of activity, the group controlled 1.8% of the total annual market, only to surge to 12% in January 2004, according to the Brewers Association (APB). The group reported a market share of 9% in December 2003. European Drinks has thus exceeded the estimates compiled by its competitors early this year. In the first two months of 2004, European Drinks ranked fourth on the market, far behind the leader Brau Union, but closer to the second and third positions, namely Interbrew and SABMiller. ZF