Philip Morris chooses Interbrands as logistic service provider in Romania

FMCG distributor Interbrands Marketing & Distribution has signed a logistics contract with Philip Morris Trading, the company responsible for the distribution of Philip Morris tobacco products in Romania. The contract is effective starting this month, Philip Morris Trading representatives have announced. The tobacco company has previously worked with Top Brands Distribution. This March the company entered insolvency at its own request after the contract was not renewed , according to Mediafax.

“After carefully evaluating the market and our long term strategy for distribution, we decided to team up with Interbrands, one of the leading logistics companies in the market, known for its long history in Romania, unique corporate culture and high quality of services. This partnership is a critical milestone in the implementation of our business strategy in the most effective and sustainable way,” said Sergey Slipchenko, managing director Philip Morris in Romania. “Our distribution platform is now also supported by Interbrands which brings solid mixture of strong market knowledge, experience and capacity to expand further. We are confident that with Interbrands as our new partner we will continue delivering an exceptional service level on the market and ensure full presence of our quality brands to adult smokers across Romania,” he added.

Interbrands Marketing & Distribution is the largest distribution company in Romania, with reported consolidated net sales in 2013 of EUR 126 million, employing 2,000 people and reaching 45,000 outlets for all categories of products, according to the company’s data. Some of the its other clients include Procter&Gamble, Kotanyi, Henkel, Tchibo, Mondelez and British American Tobacco.

Philip Morris Trading is an affiliate of Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI). PMI’s products are sold in more than 180 markets. In 2013, the company held an estimated 15.7 percent market share of the total international cigarette market outside of the U.S., or 28.2 percent excluding the People’s Republic of China and the U.S., according to its data.

In Romania it is present through Philip Morris Trading and Philip Morris Romania which covers production.