Higher Ice cream prices boost Alpin producer's turnover

The producer of the Alpin ice cream, the third largest company on the local ice cream market, saw its sales increase 10-15% in the first eight months of the year against the same time in 2007, mainly due to the 12% price increase for the products in its portfolio. “We took on some of the cost, and transferred the remainder to the consumers with a 12% price increase,” said Ioan Istrate, owner of Alpin 57 Lux. This year, local food producers’ recorded significant cost increases for utilities and raw materials, which contributed to the price rises. “This year, the biggest cost increase, by around 70%, have been recorded for vegetable (coconut) oil. We have also seen major increases for fuel and utility costs,” specified Istrate. Considering that ice cream is a highly seasonal product, and given that this summer was not as hot as last year, ice cream consumption was less dynamic than in 2007. According to some producers, the ice cream market stagnated in 2008.