Romanian cold cuts producer Cris-Tim will invest EUR 4 million in food production and preservation equipment, it has announced. The producer also plans to spend EUR 8 million on 200 Viennese-style sausage carts that will be on Bucharest's streets from March this year. The carts will be branded Matache Macelaru, according to Ziarul Financiar. Cris-Tim bought the Matache Macelaru brand in 2011 from Principal Company, that went insolvent in 2010.

Cris-Tim has invested EUR 24 million over the last three years in increasing production capacity at its factories and in equipment. The company aims for a 30 percent increase in turnover compared to last year, when it made some EUR 80 million. One of the growth areas will be exports, which should reach up to 30 percent of the production by the end of this year, from a current 13 percent.

Cris-Tim, which produces 140 tonnes of cold cuts per day, exports to countries such as Ireland, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and in total to 16 external markets.

Cris-Tim produces cold cuts under several brands, among which are CrisTim, Alpinia, Matache Macelaru, EcoFerm and family Sunca. The group of companies includes a factory in Prahova county, Cristim Prodcom, which runs logistic for Impex Cris-Tim, the retail chain that sells its products. The producer started business in 1991 with one shop and opened its first factory in 1994. It is majority owned by Romanian businessman Radu Timis.

editor@romania-insider.com