Romania key figures

Romania is one of the largest agricultural producers in the European Union (EU) and has a significant role in food production in the region. In terms of total agricultural output, Romania is typically ranked in the top 10 of the EU member states. According to Eurostat data from 2021, Romania was the 5th largest agricultural producer in the EU in terms of gross agricultural output. As for specific food products, Romania is among the top producers of wheat, corn, sunflower, and plums in the EU. The country is also a significant producer of other food products such as pork, poultry, and dairy.

According to the latest available data from Eurostat, in 2020 Romania was ranked as the 11th largest food importer in the European Union (EU), with a total value of imports of around 5.7 billion euros. The main categories of food products imported by Romania are meat, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, fish and seafood, and grains. Some of the largest food suppliers to Romania include Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, and Hungary.

The Romanian F&B sector serves as a strong economic growth indicator even after the hardships experience by the sector the past three years. Our country provides the right setting for investments in a dynamic market with a high appetite for food and beverages imports, all year round.

Romania holds the second position in Europe on both the growth and growth potential in the Food & Beverage (F&B) sector consumption. This includes restaurants, fast-food units, coffee shops, tea houses, and ice cream parlours intake according to a study by Cushman & Wakefield.

Sales in the F&B serving activities rose in most of the EU Member States in 2021. However, the highest sales growth for F&B serving activities was recorded in Romania – rose by 57.4 %.

Of the 26 Member States data was available for, three recorded a higher level of turnover in 2021 compared to 2019: Bulgaria, Poland and Romania; according to the report of EUROSTAT F&B 2021/2020 index;

The local distribution in Retail & Horeca registered a high in the turnover of 2022 with an increase from these two industries by 27% compared to 2020, reaching 21.1 billion lei in 2021, according to a Keys Fin study.

Delivery market.