Imported beer brands continue to attract consumers both through high brand loyalty and the opening of a large number of pubs in 2009, in Bucharest and other large cities around Romania, said United Romanian Breweries Bereprod representatives. According to them, almost 35 such locations began trading last year. They estimate that the number of pubs will increase by 75 percent this year. At present, pubs are popular with drinkers for the imported beer brands they stock and for their international premium and super-premium brands.

“Although the consumption of Guinness beer remained at the same level in 2009 as 2008, it increased by 35 percent in pub locations. This shows that despite the current difficult economic conditions, Romanians still enjoy drinking a beer in a pub and remained loyal to the traditional Irish beer, which is specific to this kind of location,” said Doron Zilberstein, marketing vice-president at URBB. He added that although on-premise beer consumption fell last year, about 70 percent of the sales registered for imported beers came from such locations. “We intend to increase on-premise Guinness beer consumption by more than 60 percent this year, so we are doing everything necessary to be present in each new pub, especially through the Guinness brand,” said Zilberstein.