Brewers hope for 8 to 10% higher sales during FIFA World Cup

Major brewers, Ursus Breweries, Heineken Romania, Bergenbier and United Romanian Breweries Bereprod, estimate beer sales will go up by between 8 and 10% during the Football World Cup compared with a summer month with no football event.

Thus, brewers expect to sell around 220 million litres of beer together during June 11-July 11 period, namely 440 million 0.5 litre bottles, with the sales to bring between 170 and 190m euros into accounts, according to ZF calculations.

"This year, as Romania is not qualified at the World Cup, Romanians' enthusiasm and interest will be low. Still, a final tournament is a reason for rising consumption. As a rule, beer consumption during the World Cup goes up by 10% and is 'spurred' by 15-20% higher media and promotional expenditures. During crisis times, though, both expenses and consumption may be lower," stated Mihai Ghyka, general manager of Bergenbier, part of StarBev group.

Ghyka's opinion is shared by Grant McKenzie, marketing vice-president of Ursus Breweries, producer of Timisoreana brands, sponsor of Romania's Timisoreana Cup, and Ursus, sponsor of the national football team. Thus, McKenzie hopes Ursus Breweries sales during June-July 2010 exceed the level reached a year ago.

The representatives of URBB, producer of Tuborg brand, also estimate sales during the World Cup will set domestic beer sales on an upward trend, but sales will be only 5-8% above consumption outside the football season.

On the other hand, Paul Markovits, marketing with Heineken Romania, believes that given this year's uncertainty surrounding the beer market, it is wiser for producers not to make estimates about the trend of sales before the end of the Football World Cup.

"It's difficult to make a prediction about the trend of the beer industry in the period of the World Cup because there are a lot of factors than can have an impact over beer consumption. Eventually, beer consumption during the World Cup will depend on the weather and Romanians' thirst," expects Heineken Romania's marketing manager.