Food, Beverages & Tobacco in Romania: key facts
Figures from the Romanian Supplier database on October 21, 2026; approved company profiles only, a company can belong to several industries. Company-declared details are labelled as such.
930
companies listed
Bucharest
largest cluster (265)
Italy
most-declared export market
3
profiles managed by the company itself
Download the figures as CSV (CC BY 4.0; cite "Romanian Supplier, 2026-10-21").
What Romanian food & beverages suppliers make
| Product group | HS | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bakery, biscuits and confectionery | 1905, 1704, 1806 | Wafers, biscuits, chocolate and sugar confectionery, much of it private label for retail chains. |
| Dairy and cheese | 0401–0406 | Telemea, cașcaval and other cheeses, yoghurt and butter; several IFS-certified dairies export within the EU. |
| Meat products and charcuterie | 1601–1602 | Sausages, salami and canned meat from EU-approved plants. |
| Sunflower oil and edible oils | 1512 | Romania is one of the EU's largest sunflower producers; refined and cold-pressed oils in bulk and retail packs. |
| Honey and bee products | 0409 | Acacia, linden and polyfloral honey; one of the EU's top producers, exported in bulk and jars. |
| Wine and spirits | 2204, 2208 | Wineries in Dealu Mare, Murfatlar, Cotnari, Târnave and Recaș; fruit brandies (țuică, pălincă). |
| Mineral water, juices and soft drinks | 2201–2202 | Numerous natural mineral water sources (Borsec, Bucovina and others) and bottling for private label. |
| Canned and frozen fruit and vegetables | 2001–2008, 0710–0712 | Pickles, jams, tomato products and frozen berries and vegetables. |
Strengths and limits
Why buyers choose Romania. Raw materials are local and abundant — Romania is among the EU's top three producers of sunflower seed, maize and honey — which supports competitive pricing on oils, honey, cereals-based products and preserves. Processing plants supplying Romanian and regional retail chains run IFS or BRCGS systems, are used to private-label specifications and audits, and are inside the EU's single food-safety framework (EU-approved establishment numbers, harmonised labelling under Regulation 1169/2011). Road transit to Central Europe takes two to three days for ambient and chilled goods.
What to watch. Certification coverage drops sharply outside the larger plants; many small producers are HACCP-only, which most retailers will not accept. Cold-chain logistics for chilled and frozen goods to Western Europe are more expensive per pallet than for ambient. Seasonal raw materials (fruit, honey, vegetables) mean campaign production and harvest-dependent prices. Organic certification is growing but volumes are still limited. Halal and kosher certificates are rare.
How buyers work with Romanian suppliers
- Private label to your specification
- Recipe, packaging and labelling developed to your brief, produced in IFS/BRCGS-certified plants; the main model for retailers and brand owners.
- Distribution of the producer's brands
- Exclusive or non-exclusive import of established Romanian brands (wine, water, confectionery, honey).
- Bulk ingredients
- Sunflower oil, honey, frozen fruit, flour and sugar in bulk (IBC, drums, big bags) for further processing.
- Co-packing and co-manufacturing
- Filling, packing or processing your product or recipe on the producer's lines.
Certifications and compliance to require
Certification data on imported profiles is declared, not audited: treat every certificate as a claim to verify with the issuer.
| Certificate / regulation | What it proves | When to require it |
|---|---|---|
| IFS Food / BRCGS Food / FSSC 22000 | GFSI-recognised food-safety management | Required by almost all European retailers; ask for the certificate, scope and last audit score. |
| HACCP and EU establishment approval (Regulations 852/853/2004) | Legal minimum; approval number for animal-origin products | Every supplier; check the approval number on the national veterinary authority (ANSVSA) list for meat, dairy and fish. |
| EU organic (Regulation 2018/848) | Organic production and processing | For organic claims; the operator certificate must be valid and cover the product. |
| Regulation 1169/2011 (food information), 1924/2006 (claims), 1935/2004 (food-contact materials) | Labelling, nutrition, claims and packaging compliance | Every retail product; agree who signs off label artwork in each target market. |
| Halal, Kosher, Vegan (V-Label) | Scheme-specific requirements | Only where your market needs them; availability is limited. |
| PDO/PGI/TSG registrations | Protected origin (e.g. Telemea de Ibănești, Salam de Sibiu, Magiun de Topoloveni) | For origin-based marketing; verify the producer is a registered user of the name. |
Where the food & beverages suppliers are
| County | Companies | Directory |
|---|---|---|
| Bucharest | 265 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Bucharest |
| Ilfov County | 89 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Ilfov |
| Iasi County | 42 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Iasi |
| Bihor County | 41 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Bihor |
| Prahova County | 39 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Prahova |
| Cluj County | 30 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Cluj |
| Timis County | 30 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Timis |
| Constanta County | 29 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Constanta |
| Bacau County | 27 | Food & Beverages suppliers in Bacau |
| Brasov County | 24 | Food & Beverages directory |
| Suceava County | 23 | Food & Beverages directory |
| Mures County | 21 | Food & Beverages directory |
All 42 counties: Food, Beverages & Tobacco directory · Bucharest, Ilfov, Cluj, Timis, Bihor, Brasov and more.
Which markets they export to
Export markets declared on company profiles (a company may declare several). Use them to find suppliers with experience in your country, then confirm with references.
| Market | Companies declaring it | Exporters page |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 366 | Romanian companies exporting to Italy |
| Germany | 351 | Romanian companies exporting to Germany |
| Bulgaria | 328 | Romanian companies exporting to Bulgaria |
| Moldova, Republic of | 322 | Romanian companies exporting to Moldova, Republic of |
| United Kingdom | 320 | Romanian companies exporting to United Kingdom |
| Spain | 282 | Romanian companies exporting to Spain |
| Hungary | 273 | Romanian companies exporting to Hungary |
| France | 244 | Romanian companies exporting to France |
| Poland | 244 | Romanian companies exporting to Poland |
| Belgium | 210 | Romanian companies exporting to Belgium |
How large and how established are they?
Employees (declared; 930 of 930 profiles state a size)
| Band | Companies |
|---|---|
| 1-9 | 248 |
| 10-19 | 101 |
| 20-49 | 102 |
| 50-99 | 128 |
| 100-249 | 120 |
| 250-499 | 85 |
| 500-999 | 103 |
| 1000+ | 43 |
Founding decade
| Decade | Companies |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 268 |
| 2000s | 268 |
| 2010s | 298 |
| 2020s | 96 |
Romania vs Poland, Turkey and China for food & beverages
Indicative comparison for an EU buyer; labour costs are approximate and MOQs/lead times are ranges reported by suppliers, not guarantees.
| Criterion | Romania | Poland | Turkey | China |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU customs union / duties for EU buyers | Member state: no duties, no customs formalities | Member state: no duties, no customs formalities | Customs union for industrial goods: no duties, customs formalities apply | Third country: duties + customs clearance + import VAT at the border |
| Road transit to Germany | 2–3 days | 1–2 days | 4–7 days | 30–45 days by sea, 5–10 by air |
| CBAM on steel/aluminium inputs (from 2026) | Not applicable | Not applicable | Applies to CBAM goods | Applies to CBAM goods |
| Hourly labour cost, industry (approx.; Eurostat 2024 for EU countries, industry estimates otherwise) | ≈ €11–12 | ≈ €15–16 | ≈ €6–8 | ≈ €6–9 (coastal provinces) |
| Sunflower seed production (EU rank) | Top 2 in the EU | Minor | Major producer (non-EU) | Major producer (non-EU) |
| GFSI-certified plants | Larger plants; verify each | Widely available | Available | Available |
MOQ, lead times and seasonality
Indicative figures reported by suppliers, to be confirmed per quote: distributors can usually start from one pallet per SKU or a mixed pallet from the producer's range; private-label projects typically start at a production run (one to several pallets per SKU, or a truckload for beverages and oils). Development of a private-label product takes 8–16 weeks including packaging; repeat orders ship in 2–6 weeks depending on shelf life and campaign timing.
Seasonality. Honey is harvested May–August, fruit and vegetables June–October, wine is vintaged September–October and released from the following spring, Christmas confectionery is produced August–October and Easter lines in January–March. Sunflower oil follows the September–October harvest.
Vetting checklist before the first order
- Confirm the legal entity. Ask for the company's CUI (fiscal code) and check registration, VAT status and the last financial statements on the Ministry of Finance and Trade Registry portals; validate the EU VAT number in VIES.
- Validate every certificate. Get the certificate number, scope and expiry, then verify with the issuing body or in IAF CertSearch. A PDF is not proof.
- Ask for references in your market. Two customers in your country or industry, or anonymised shipping documents, tell you more than any profile.
- Test capability before series. Samples, a first-article inspection report or a pilot order with your specification, packaging and labelling.
- Visit or audit. Most Romanian factories are a day trip from Central Europe; a visit or a third-party audit is the cheapest insurance on a new supplier.
- Put the terms in writing. Incoterms, payment terms, quality plan, tooling ownership, lead times and liability, before the first purchase order.
More detail: how our company data is built and what "verified" means · how to source manufacturers in Romania.
Featured food & beverages suppliers
Selected by a published rule: profiles managed by the company itself first, then featured listings and profile completeness. Not a ranking of quality.
BREAKFAST FOOD PRODUCTION SRLGiurgiu County · 38 products
Your Strategic Global Partner for Premium Functional Nutrition: Delivering Innovative High Protein Cereals, Performance Bars, and Industrial Protein Crispies Alongside Classic Cereal Staples and Advanced Food Ingredients
CASA DE NEGUSTORI COPOU SRLIasi County · 3 products
Casa de Negustori Copou is a Romanian manufacturer of condiments and sauces, founded in 2010, with over 15 years of experience in the food industry.
PETRAS BIO SRLHunedoara County
Organic dry pasta, sprouted seed products & flour mixes. Exporting quality gluten & gluten-free foods globally.
COFCO INTERNATIONAL ROMANIA SRLBucharest
Global agricultural commodity trader, connecting Romanian farmers to international markets, ensuring food security.
COTTON - YARN ROMANIA SRLBucharest
Romanian producer & exporter of diverse yarns (cotton, natural, chemical) for global textile, fashion, furniture & automotive industries.
BARBAROSSA RETAIL SRLBucharest
Wholesale of FMCG, food, beverages & tobacco. Connecting Romanian producers to European markets since 2010.
SOCIETATEA NATIONALA PLAFAR SABucharest
Traditional Romanian herbal products: teas, supplements, cosmetics for natural health & wellness.
HERBARUM VERONICAE S.R.L.Mures County
Romanian producer & exporter of herbal products, foodstuffs, and natural materials, connecting regional resources globally.
All 930 food & beverages suppliers in Romania
Frequently asked questions
Where are Romania's food and beverage producers concentrated?
Bucharest–Ilfov (processing and bottling), Cluj, Timiș, Bihor, Brașov and Mureș in Transylvania and the west, Iași in the north-east and Prahova (wine, Dealu Mare). Agricultural raw materials come mainly from the southern and eastern plains. See the county table above for live counts.
What food products does Romania export?
Cereals (wheat, maize, barley), sunflower seed and oil, honey, wine, confectionery and biscuits, dairy products, meat products, mineral water and canned or frozen fruit and vegetables. Cereals alone are about 3% of Romania's goods exports.
Can Romanian producers make private-label food products?
Yes. Bakery, confectionery, dairy, meat, oils, honey, preserves and beverages are produced under retailers' and brand owners' labels in IFS- or BRCGS-certified plants. Development typically takes 8–16 weeks including packaging; minimums start at a production run of one to several pallets per SKU.
Which certifications should a Romanian food supplier have?
A GFSI-recognised certificate — IFS Food, BRCGS Food or FSSC 22000 — for retail supply; HACCP and an EU establishment approval number are the legal minimum, and products of animal origin must come from an approved plant listed by ANSVSA. Add EU organic, Halal, Kosher or V-Label where your market requires them.
What is the minimum order for Romanian food exporters?
Suppliers typically accept one pallet per SKU or a mixed pallet for distribution of their own brands, and a production run of one to several pallets per SKU (a truckload for beverages and oils) for private label. Confirm per quotation.
Is Romanian honey and sunflower oil competitively priced?
Yes. Romania is among the EU's top producers of both, so bulk prices are among the lowest in the EU for EU-origin product, with the advantage over Ukrainian or non-EU supply of no customs formalities and direct EU food-law compliance.
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Methodology: company counts, county, size and founding-decade figures are computed live from approved profiles in the Romanian Supplier database (snapshot date shown above); industries follow the platform's 18-category taxonomy derived from HS sections. Certifications, export markets and employee counts are declared by companies or imported from trade data and are not audited. Regulatory references are provided for orientation and are not legal advice; check the current text of each regulation. Full methodology.