Charcuterie market consolidates through acquisitions

The market of processed meat products has witnessed faster consolidation this year in the wake of the acquisition of some small domestic producers, holding significant shares on a regional market, by major top five Romanian companies.
The first step was taken by the shareholders of Caroli group, one of Romania’s top 3 charcuterie producers, whose turnover stood at 62 million euros in 2005, which this March bought the Cluj-based Maestro charcuterie producer. Maestro Industries, set up in 1994, owns a meat processing facility in Cluj and an outlet network in Cluj and Bistrita and has 200 employees. Caroli’s officials considered Transylvania was a growing market for the company and the acquisition would allow them to step up the pace.
Caroli is not the only producer that decided to boost its market share by buying a regional player. Angst announced it would take over a stake in the Cluj-based Discovery charcuterie producer in order to strengthen its business in Transylvania. Discovery owns a plant in Cluj and a network of 14 outlets.
On the other hand, Dorin Mateiu, a stakeholder in one of the major charcuterie producers of Transylvania, Elit Cugir company, says he does not plan to sell the business. According to the AC Nielsen market research company, Elit Cugir is ranks second among frankfurter and sausage producers and fifth among the most important salami producers.
However, market concentration does not entail only acquisitions, but also to investments in new production facilities meant to boost sales. The representatives of CrisTim, domestic market leader, say they are not interested in acquiring regional players, as long as the plot of land in Filipestii de Padure allows them to double current capacities. Moreover, in the wake of the nationwide expansion of the logistic centre network they will enjoy stronger coverage in all the counties.
“The charcuterie industry will grow at an annual pace of 10% as the black market shrinks and consumption rises,” says Gabriel Alexandru, deputy chairman with CrisTim group, which ended 2005 with 150 million-euro turnover.
“This type of business involves massive investments in infrastructure, but given the high costs, companies will find it increasingly difficult to enter the market through greenfield investments,” adds Alexandru. In his opinion, the foreign players set to enter the domestic market will go for acquisitions.
CrisTim officials expect the charcuterie market to reach 1.5bn euros by 2010.
Reinert is the first foreign company to have decided for a greenfield investment in this domain. Thus, it has earmarked over 15 million euros to build a plant in Feldioara, near Brasov.
Campofrio will also start building its second plant in Romania. However, the biggest investments in the domain are operated by the US Smithfield US group.