SABMiller eyes 25% market share after Aurora acquisition

Following the takeover of independent brewer Aurora Brasov, SABMiller Romania will see its market share increase up to 25-27% in the coming years, according to the estimates of SABMiller representatives, publicised during the official announcement of the Aurora acquisition.

At present, the two companies jointly hold four breweries, the Ursus, Timisoreana and Aurora brands and a total market share of 20-22%.

SABMiller Romania, an arm of the world’s third largest brewer, completed the acquisition of Aurora this month. Thanks to the Romanian company’s 5.2% market share, the beer giant regained second position among the players operating on the Romanian beer market.

The takeover entailed purchasing 99.58% of the company’s stock from Aurora shareholders, with the value of the transaction put at over 20 million dollars.

SABMiller officials were unwilling to disclose details about their future strategy for Aurora, stating that this would be settled after more thorough market research.

“It is a little bit too early to talk about investment plans and the positioning of the three brands that Aurora includes in its portfolio,” said Octavian Buzoianu, corporate affairs director for SABMiller Romania.

After the takeover of the Brasov-based brewer, the SABMiller portfolio also includes the Aurora, Ciucas and Cerbul brands, with a solid market position in the central region of the country.

Managing the three brands will be a difficult task for SAB. Once distributed and advertised nation-wide, Aurora and Ciucas will not only compete with the other players’ brands, but also possibly with Ursus and Timisoreana, positioned in the same middle segment of the market.
claudia.covaci@zf.ro ; laurentiu.ispir@zf.ro