One billion litres! This is the amount the mineral water bottlers estimate the market will drink up this year, should the excessive heat wave linger around.
“If the high temperatures registered since as early as May maintain until August or September, we expect to see approximately one billion litres of mineral water bottled this year,” Peter Elek, general manager of the National Mineral Waters Company (SNAM) yesterday said.
Under the circumstances, the mineral water market will come close to 280 million euros in 2003, 4% more than last year.
Elek said that whereas the amount of mineral water bottled in 1993 was 110 million litres, this amount went up to 840 million litres in 2002. “We have the natural resources to double this amount, but the market cannot take that much,” he added.
The average Romanian drank 36 litres of mineral water last year, much less than an Italian or a German. “The consumption has increased from 6 litres per capita in 1993 to 36 litres in 2002. It is little if looking at countries like France, Germany or Italy, where consumption amounts to more than 100 litres of mineral water per capita,” Elek said.
Even though the specialists in this field say the Romanian mineral waters are at least equal to those in the European Union in terms of quality, the domestic products have trouble getting out and reaching the foreign markets.
“Exports of mineral water last year totalled $1.5 million, that is less than 5% of the total output,” said Mihail Ianas, director general of the APEMIN employers’ association.
SNAM holds some 30 licences to operate mineral deposits. The company extracts and supplies the mineral water to 28 companies that bottle and sell it. The bottlers (Romaqua, European Drinks, Dorna, Perla Harghitei, Bibco etc.) pay SNAM 60 ROL for every litre of mineral water supplied.
Last year, the market witnessed one of its most important transactions, as Coca-Cola took over Dorna Apemin mineral water producer in an about $40 million deal.
As for this year, France-based Perrier Vittel is to make a decision about the bottling factory in Miercurea Ciuc. “The National Mineral Water Company found two mineral water deposits in Miercurea Ciuc, one of them conceded by Perrier Vittel, the producer of the Ana Vie mineral water. Its failure to get some of the market share of the domestic producers prompted the company to decide to close down the factory. Even though not operational, the French company has paid all its dues to the State and SNAM. Its bottling licence is due to expire this year and it has to decide whether it wants to leave the Romanian market for good or stay,” Mihail Ianas said.