KOSOVO - The European Times

KOSOVOAgriculture & Food IndustryPeja BreweryMarket-Leading Local BreweryExpanding RegionallyPeja Brewery has carved out a 70%share of the local beer market thanksto its high quality beers made withcutting edge techniques.As Sebastjan Gergeta, actingGeneral Manager, explains, thebrewery was founded in 1971and acquired in 2006 by leadingSlovenian Pivovarna Laško Groupand local Kosovar investors,mainly Dukagjini Group’s ownerEkrem Lluka. “After the €11million privatisation tender, weinvested around €12-13 millionin upgrading the brewery’sfacilities, equipment, technologiesand marketing. Now we area very well known brewery with avery well known brand. Any newproduct we introduce will mostlikely be a success,” he says.Thanks to its upgrades, thebrewery has increased the shelflife of its beer from three weeks tosix months. It has been reinvestingrevenues but hopes to make aprofit next year and anticipatesan average 10% growth over thecoming five years.Peja aims to expand to marketsbeyond Kosovo, since it has not yetreached full production capacityand believes that the Kosovarmarket will not be able to keep upwith the brewery’s growth. Pejaalready has agreements with distributorsin Montenegro, Serbiaand Macedonia but its main focusnext year will be Albania, where itaims to boost sales by 5% to 6%.“We are welcome everywhere andpresent in every market in theregion,” Sebastjan Gergeta saysproudly.Signficant investmentpotentialPeja Brewery offers very attractiveinvestment potential. “Europeanportfolio investors, includingsmaller investors, and fundingorganisations are very welcome.We are a very transparent companyand we would repay the faith thatany European institution has inus,” Sebastjan Gergeta says. Headds that new investments will gotoward expanding the brewery’sproduct lines and continuing toupgrade its technologies. Around€15 million over the next fiveyears will be needed to bring thebrewery fully up to EU standards.Peja would also like to partnerwith distributors, suppliers andconsultants in Western Europe.The brewery’s successfulpartnership with Slovenia’s topbreweries, Pivovarna Laško andPivovarna Union, gives it an edge.“We have the necessary know-how,financing and guarantees, as wellas people who know the business.Our 70% market share, which weaim to boost to 80%, gives us avirtual monopoly in Kosovo and weSebastjan Gergeta, acting General Managerhave basically taken over the distributionsystem,” Sebastjan Gergetaexplains. He adds, “Investorsinterested in Kosovo should workwith a strong local partner.”Peja Brewery30000 Peje, KosovoTel.: +381 39 432 661Fax: +381 39 433 98949