Rauch invested EUR 2m in production of Limessa juices - Austrian company announced new export markets and products

Yesterday (April 19, 2010), in the juice factory in Koceljeva, Rauch put in operation new production line for bottling Limessa juices in two-liter bottles, which is the new brand intended for broad range of consumers. Rauch invested 2m EUR in the new line, which increased the value of investments in the Koceljeva-based factory to 20m EUR. People in that company also announce launching of new products.

- We presented our new brand Limessa today - apple, peach, orange and multivitamin juices, and we want to use it to increase our presence in Serbian market. The annual capacity of the factory in Koceljeva is 200m liters, and we hope this new line will help us reach 50% of the production capacity – Perica Aleksić, Rauch's Director for Serbia, told eKapija.

The Rauch juice factory in Koceljeva, where famous beverages of that Austrian company are being produced, including Happy Day, Bravo and Ice Tea, has 130 employees.

About 50% of the factory's production is exported to the markets of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania. People from Rauch also announce commencement of export to Croatia, Turkey and Bulgaria. The juice factory in Koceljeva annually processes 1,500 tons of fruits.

- We purchase cherries, raspberries and blackberries from the manufacturers in this region and we plan to start purchasing fruits in other regions of Serbia as well. Our plan for 2011 includes introduction of new fruit-processing line, which will enable us to offer fruit concentrates to other consumers – Aleksić announced and added that Rauch also planned to bottle juices for other manufacturers.

Rauch's Director for Serbia points out that the company's final goal is to become the leader in the market of Serbia.

- Rauch keeps growing from year to year. Over the last two years we have quintupled our turnover, which now amounts to 21m EUR on annual basis – says Perica Aleksić and points out that Rauch fights the economic crisis by finding new consumers and investing in its brands.

- Since 2007 we have invested 20m EUR in the juice factory in Koceljeva, installed the waste water treatment instruments and reconstructed complete plumbing, sewerage and electric grid. We have also reconstructed the fruit-processing unit and built a new warehouse for ready-made products. We are constantly investing in our staff through various forms of specialization.

(Perica Aleksić, Slobodan Milosavljević, Heinz Dei Michei, Andreas Haidenthaler)

Austria - the largest investor in Serbia

Slobodan Milosavljević, the Minister of Trade and Services of Serbia, ceremoniously put the new production line in Koceljeva-based juice factory Rauch in operation.

- We are satisfied with the fact that domestic products in this factory are being processed and packed as final products rather than being exported as fresh or frozen fruits. This method of production enables employment of people and development of cities – said Milosavljević.

Perica Aleksić said that the people from Rauch had spoken to the Minister about the way in which that company can use Serbia's Free Trade Agreement with Russia, Belarus and Turkey, as well as about the Government's assistance in export to those markets. He also said that the talks would be resumed soon.

Andreas Haidenthaler, the Austrian Embassy's Commercial Counselor, reminded that Austria was the country that had made the largest investments in Serbian market since 2000 and that about 300 Austrian companies had invested 2.2bn EUR and employed few thousand people in Serbia to the date.

Rauch's activities in Serbia

- 2002 - Rauch Ltd. opened in Serbia

- 2004 - Rauch became Serbia's Red Bull distributor

- 2005 - Happy Day, Rauch's premium product, declared as the best-quality juice by the Serbian Association of Consumers

- 2006 - Rauch Austria bought Voćar Koceljeva in bankruptcy

- 2007 - commencement of Rauch's production in Serbia - PET and tetra pak lines

- 2008 - Rauch among top five juice manufacturers in Serbia; new line introduced – 0.2L tetra pak

- 2009 - Rauch Serbia obtained ISO 22000 and HACCP quality certificates

- 2010 - new line for bottling juices in two-liter bottles put in operation and new brand Limessa launched

S.O.