25 February 2014 www.wall-street.ro
In a crowded landscape, where the large international players fight over the only 32 ml of mi consumed by Romanians every day, the diary producer Albalact pencils a bold, but still achievable plan in Alba Iulia: in three years, the company controlled by the businessman Raul Ciurtin wants to lead in the most important market categories.
The most recent financial data available shows that, in the first nine months of the previous year, Albalact’s turnover went up by 25% to Ron 308 million, while profit almost doubled to RON 5.42 million. Overall, 2013 fits in the increasing trend Albalact has accustomed its shareholders with even during the financial crisis.
“We budgeted some growth targets for the previous year, and attained them. This means an important double-digit turnover and profit increase. Last year came after a 2012 when we consolidated our portfolio and market presence. We didn’t bring too many new products to the market, but relied on this portfolio to perform on the market”, explains Raul Ciurtin in an interview for WALL-STREET.ro.
Again in 2013, the company invested about EUR 8 million in new production lines to support portfolio diversification. Thus, before mid this year, Albalact will launch some new products in each market category.
Some of the products launched last year are Raraul MBS – polenta with cottage cheese and sour cream, Zuzu Bifidus and Fruzu.
Additionally, the list of company’s priorities for this year includes the sales and the logistics business which are served by 42% of the total number of employees (412).
“We have been growing constantly in terms of logistics and sales, and we will continue to develop these areas in the period to come too. There are shifts on the market, with some local retailers being taken over by international players, and this has consequences on the sales structure. We are interested in enlarging our client base and geographical coverage”
Raul Ciurtin