Beros & van Schaik, the wine shop and trader opened a year go in Bucharest's Old Town by the Van Gogh restaurant and bar owner Jerry van Schaik and Chilean architect Christian Beros, estimates a turnover of EUR 130,000 for 2012, 10 percent above their initial sales expectations. With an initial investment of EUR 100,000 in renovation, shop concept, staff, delivery system and initial stock of 11,000 bottles, Beros & van Schaik saw 65 percent of its sales on the bar and shop end. The other sales channels were the deliveries to end consumers and HoReCa. In 2013, the wine shop sales' should go up by a quarter, the owners expect, mainly by extending sales to the HoReCa sector, delivery and special events.

In the near future, the owners plan to add online ordering and create a wine club.

“We are happy that our concept of wine shop and non smoking tasting room is appreciated by a regular client base. The possibility of tasting before buying with option to have wine delivered at home has proven successful and next year we plan to take it a step further with online ordering and a wine club for our loyal clientele,” said Jerry van Schaik, one of the investors of Beros & van Schaik Wine Traders.

The Romanian wine market is dominated by domestically produced wine, which includes everything from labeled bottled wine to home brew and vin en vrac. Bottled imports only account for about 5 percent of the market, according to Beros & van Schaik. The investors have seen more consumers in Romania developing a critical taste and estimate that bottled wine, both Romanian and imports, will slowly close the gap over the next 10 years.

Over the long term, Beros & van Schaik plans to start exports to The Netherlands, in light of growing interest for indigenous grapes like Feteasca Alba, Feteasca Neagra, Crâmpoşie Selecţionată or Novac.

Corina Chirileasa, corina@romania-insider.com

(photo source: the company)