Octavian Cretu removes Burger from ranking of best-selling beers

Ziarul Financiar 07.02.2010

In the duel opposing Romanian beer industry entrepreneurs Octavian Cretu - owner of the Romaqua Group, which produces the Albacher brand, and Ioan and Viorel Micula - owners of the European Drinks group, producer of the Burger brand, the balance is starting to tip in favour of Cretu, who only entered the market a year and a half ago.

Albacher kicked the Burger brand out of the ranking of the best-selling beer brands in retail, a segment that accounts for more than half the beer market, according to a GfK study on household beer consumption, conducted in 2008-2009. "At the end of November 2009, Albacher's market share was 5.3%, compared with 4.3% in 2008," said Adrian Teslovan, marketing manager of Romaqua Group. This market share corresponds to 0.9 million hectolitres of beer sold, i.e. over 50 million euros (calculated at shelf prices). Contacted by ZF, Ioan Micula said he did not want to provide information on the company's progression until the trial that European Drinks brought against the Romanian state was over.