Bucharest / RO. (fro) Star Foods Romania, the largest snacks and chips producer in Romania and part of PepsiCo will expand its Popesti Leordeni factory near Bucharest, which produces for the domestic market as well as for neighbouring countries´ markets as Bulgaria and Moldova. According to local media, the measure was taken in order to meet demand domestically and the exports, expansion works going to be finalized till next year-end.
In the upcoming months, Star Foods Romania will begin exports to Slovenia. Star Foods exported eight percent of its products early this year and currently exports 15 to 20 percent of its total production, say company officials. «We will invest over ten million EUR by the end of 2009 to achieve all planned projects objectives», said General Manager Sotiris Yannopoulos quoted by «Financiarul».
Star Foods announced it intention to increase sales in Bulgaria, due to the acquisition of the Penelopa seed producer, the Bulgarian market going to become the main export destination. Yannopoulos said that all chips and snacks sold in Bulgaria come from Romania. PepsiCo bought Star Foods in November 2004 through Snack Ventures Europe, a joint venture between PepsiCo and General Mills. At the end of 2004, PepsiCo became the company´s sole shareholder, by acquiring General Mills participation in Snack Ventures Europe.
The salty snack market was estimated at 20’000 tons last year, according to market players and is expected to exceed 25’000 tons this year. Approximately half of this volume is produced by Star Foods, say company representatives. The total salty and sweet snack market will exceed the value of 965 million RON (272 million EUR) in 2012, with an annual growth rate of nine percent, reveals a study conducted by research market company Euromonitor.
The full market of salty and sweet snacks will reach 200 million EUR this year, informs Euromonitor, the chips segment playing a determining role, with a value of more than 100 million EUR. The top five snack producers are Star Foods, European Foods, Phoenix, Standard + Snacks, and Chio Romania, with a combined 80,8 percent market share (source).
