Sales of wine using the 'bag-in-a-box' system have reached about 160,000 units in the first year since boxed wine became available in Romania. The figures are, however, far from those in Northern European countries, where wine-boxes account for half of the annual total consumption.
Vinex Cernavoda and Carl Reh Winery are disputing which company first introduced this system onto the market, with 25%-30% of the two winemakers' total sales being made through the box system during the space of just one year. Two more producers, Bachus-Pietroasa and Senator Odobesti have recently joined the others on the market, which is estimated to reach 200,000 units this year. A third leading player, Murfatlar Romania, is expected to similarly make moves in this direction.
"Firstly, winemakers cut transportation and bottling costs and bags are much easier to arrange on shelves. Moreover, the consumers pay a much lower price and the quality is preserved for a longer period of time, since the wine does not come into contact with the air at all," says Iota Trantu, Vinex Cernavoda general manager.
Boxed wine refers to wine sold in 3, 5 or 10 litre bags and placed inside a cardboard box with a tap on the side. The main benefit of this system is that the bags fold as the wine is dispensed, so no air reaches the wine and no oxidisation takes place. A 3 litre superior wine-box sold in supermarkets costs about 3 euros, compared with an average of 2 euros per 0.75l wine bottle. "Romanian consumers have been rather reluctant to embrace the wine-box system at first. However, we succeeded in drawing out and securing the loyalty both of sophisticated clients purchasing expensive wine, and of lower income clients who replaced their purchases of wine sold in PET and 1.5l bottles with this new system," explained Gabriel Dima, sales manager of Carl Reh Winery held by German winemaker Reh Kendermann.
In only two months on the market, Senator Odobesti has already sold more than 5,000 units through the traditional sales system alone and will branch out to supermarkets.
Viorel Potarniche, general manager of Murfatlar Romania, says no decision to enter this market has yet been made.
stelian.negrea@zf.ro
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