• The evolution of the Romanian chocolate market in the context of the pandemic is analyzed in a study carried out by KeysFin. According to this study, domestic production of chocolate is decreasing and consumption is increasing.
KeysFin, one of the most important suppliers of digitized solutions for the verification of the business environment, analyzes the chocolate market in Romania, noting an 11% increase in the turnover of chocolate traders, in 2020 reaching a historical maximum of 4,1 billion of lions.
And yet, although the consumption of chocolate on the Romanian market is increasing, the production decreased in the year of the pandemic, reaching 640 million lei. Thus, according to the KeysFin study, the chocolate market, production and consumption, decreased in 2020 by 10,7% compared to 2019, reaching 4,8 billion lei.
The effect of the pandemic on the chocolate market
Diana Florescu, KeysFin economic analyst, points out that: "The chocolate market suffered in 2020, and for 2021 we estimate that it will grow by approximately 10%, to over 5,2 billion lei. Adding to the negative impact of the pandemic (especially in production) is NESTLE's strategic decision at the beginning of 2019, to close the factory in Timișoara. The company's representatives then invoked the new consumption patterns and the labor shortage in a competitive environment. Therefore, in 2020, NESTLE also changed its main field of activity and moved from CAEN code 1082 – Manufacture of cocoa products, chocolate and sugar products to 4639 – Non-specialized wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco . In this analysis, we decided to include the company in the trade sub-segment of the chocolate market in order to be able to ensure the continuity and consistency of the data".
The big players of the chocolate market in Romania
According to the study carried out by KeysFin, in 2020, in the production segment, Kandia Dulce SA became the market leader, with a turnover of 141 million lei (22,3% of production in Romania), followed by Heidi Chocolat SA ( 88,8 million lei), Rap Confectionery SRL (66 million lei), Mueller & Friends (32,5 million lei) and Marco Polo VE SRL (almost 20 million lei).
In the sales segment, in 2020, Nestle Romania SRL, which only left the production segment of the Romanian market, but not the sales segment, leads the ranking of distributors of chocolate products, with sales of 933 million lei (22,6 .880% of the market), followed by Ferrero Romania SRL (166,6 billion lei), Almira Trade SRL (166 million lei), Pfeifer & Langen Romania SRL (123 million lei) and Roshen One SRL (XNUMX million lei).
Fewer companies, fewer employees
According to the study published by KeysFin, the number of employees in the chocolate market in Romania decreased by 18% compared to 2019, to 6,3 thousand employees, which also meant a decrease in personnel expenses of almost 20% in 2020, reaching the amount of 338 million lei.
In 2020, the number of companies reaches 774, 1% less than in 2019. Of these, 406 had a profit, 274 had a loss, the rest ending 2020 with a zero net result.
Thus, overall, the study shows a net result of the chocolate market decreasing by 11% compared to 2019, reaching 194,6 million lei in 2020.
Overdue payments to suppliers and insolvency
In 2020, outstanding payments to suppliers and to the Romanian state by companies in the chocolate market reached the highest level in history, reaching 54%, up to the value of 625 million lei. Of these, arrears with suppliers recorded the largest increase, of 180%, reaching the value of 192 million lei.
At the same time, the average current debt payment period increased by 5% compared to 2019, reaching 106 days in 2020.
The data provided by the Trade Register show the appearance in the Bulletin of Insolvency Procedures of two new companies on the chocolate market in 2020, followed in 2021 by one more.
Chocolate in the top of preferences in Romania
According to the data provided by National Institute of Statistics, in 2020, a Romanian consumed an average of 206 g of chocolate, candies, shit and other sugary products per month, 3% more than in 2019.
The latest data from the INS show that, at the end of the first semester of 2021, the average monthly consumption was 208 g per person, after reaching 224 g per month in the first quarter.
Thus, compared to the average monthly consumption of 157 g of chocolate, candies, shit and other sugary products for the year 2016, in 2020 the consumption increases to 206 g per month.
Statistics confirm that, especially recently, given the pandemic context, chocolate remains at the top of Romanians' preferences, no matter in what form it is consumed: candies, tablets or other chocolate products.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă
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