Bambi Banat increased sales by 26% - 3.4 million euros worth of investments and commencement of white chocolate production in 2010

Confectioner Bambi Banat from Požarevac announced today (June 22, 2010) that it had registered turnover of 2.8 billion dinars in the first five months of 2010, 26% more than in 2009.

Bambi Banat CEO Miroslav Miletić said at the press conference in Belgrade that the sales had been significantly increased since the beginning of the year, in both Serbia and export markets.

As he said, the sales in the market of Serbia reached the value of 2.3 billion dinars, which represents a growth of 21%.

- Total value of export amounted to 5.6 million euros, 5% more than in the same period last year - said Miletić.

Miletić said that the market recovery had started in late 2009, and that gradual recovery of certain confectioners can be felt in 2010.

According to him, the largest sales were registered in the regional market (80% of export), followed by the markets of the USA, Canada and Australia.

Miletić added that Bambi had launched 24 new products last year, while the strongest brand was still "Plazma" with the market share of 54%.

The Chairman of the Managing Board of Bambi Banat, Rade Pribićević, said that that company would invest EUR 3.4m in the production improvement in 2010.

As he said, these funds will be invested in the maintenance of quality, energy saving, improvement of storage capacities, and new equipment. Production of white chocolate is planned to start in the second half of the year since the production of black chocolate was a big success.

Speaking of the debts and relationships between traders and manufacturers, Miletić said that the situation was much better than in 2009.

Miletić said that Bambi Banat had 1,160 employees and that their salaries were stable and regular, and added that the average net salary amounted to about RSD 38,000.