January-to-June beer thirst triggers sale of 8 million hectoliters in Romania

Romanians drank almost the same amount of beer from January to June this year as they did during the same interval last year, around 8 million hectoliters, according to the Romanian Brewers association.

7.4 million hectoliters of this quantity were sold by Bergenbier, Heineken România, Romaqua Group, United Romanian Breweries and Ursus Breweries, members of the Romanian Brewers association. Romanians mostly drink locally – made beer, with 99 percent of the local consumption fueled by the local production. The beer making industry generates 96,400 jobs in Romania, in production units, in retail, hospitality, among suppliers and distributors, according to the Romanian Brewers association. The 10 beer factories in Romania owned by the members of the Romanian Brewers association employ 4,100 people. The beer market declined by 3.5 percent in Romania in 2010, on the year before, reaching a volume of 17 million hectoliters sold. The peak volume was reached in 2008, some 20.2 million. A Romanian drank an average of 78 liters of beer in 2010, on a downwards path compared to 2009. Corina Saceanu, corina@romania-insider.com (photo source: Sxc.hu)