Prodal' 94 expects rebound

Prodal’ 94, the maker of the Stalinskaya vodka, Wembley gin and Fancy brandy, expects sales in the last two months of this year – normally the best time for spirits sales – to be similar to those for the same period of 2003, following a period in which the market was seriously hurt by the doubling of excises this summer. “We expect higher consumption of the branded products during these two final months of the year, when consumers will be less mindful of prices and will go for quality branded products,” says Bogdan Mihail, Prodal’ 94’s vice-president. Prodal’ 94’s main shareholders are two Iranian-born Romanian citizens, who also own the Agricover Buzau edible oil factory. Besides Prodal’ 94, the two businessmen also control the beverage distribution company Granddies and alcohol and beer producer Bere Spirt Drobeta Turnu Severin. The three companies logged nearly 40 million euro turnover last year, up 35% from 2002, when they made 26 million euros. ZF