Tedi juice producer sees 25% growth

La Festa Romania, producing the Tedi and Tymbark natural juices, is this year expecting a 25% growth in turnover, to more than 35 million euros, mainly supported by the rising consumption of non-carbonated drinks.

“We have recently made investments worth more than 3 million euros, mainly to sustain the natural juice production line,” stated Krzysztof Grabowski, La Festa Romania chairman.

The company, in the course of making investments worth more than 25 million euros in the Valenii de Munte locality, reported 20% sales growth for the first ten months of this year, from the same period in 2004. La Festa representatives chose not to disclose the actual value of sales.

“The current capacity of the plant is sufficient for our present production. Next year, we plan to invest in existent brands and further develop exports,” Grabowski specified.

This year, too, exports have been one of the company”s main targets. At present, La Festa exports to Bulgaria, Moldova, Croatia, and Hungary.

Market expansion along the non-carbonated drinks segment pushed the company”s representatives to invest in a new presentation formula for Tymbark juices, which it launched last summer.

“Rising interest in non-carbonated drinks has made us focus more on communication backed up by packaging. We want Tymbark to better interact with consumers, who have to make a decision in front of the shelves,” the La Festa chairman also said.

Besides developing the natural juice segment, La Festa also plans to expand its product portfolio. Recently, the company also launched a product aimed at children, Choc Up, an instant hot chocolate.

The company owns a juice plant in Valenii de Munte, Prahova county, in which it has invested some 25 million euros. The plant has about 440 employees. According to the company”s representatives, the investment in Valenii de Munte will be finalised next January.

The company has also decided to invest in vegetable and fruit processing, a sector it considers not to exist in Romania. Next year, La Festa will earmark between 2 and 3 million euros for a fruit and vegetable processing unit in Valenii de Munte, destined to juice production.

Almost all the brands the company sells on the Romanian market are produced domestically – Tedi, Tymbark, Duo Fruo, Ciao, Carotella natural juices, hot chocolate, cappuccino and “3 in 1”, Ekoland, Lemona teas, the Brumi granulated cocoa brand, Van cocoa powder and Coffeeta powdered coffee creamer.

dana.ciriperu@zf.ro