Recently published research from Business Monitor International, "Latvia Food & Drink Report 2015", is now available at Fast Market Research

Boston, MA -- (SBWire) -- 01/19/2015 --We expect that household consumption will remain stable over 2015, contributing 1. 7 percentage points to headline real GDP,. This will be supported by low inflation and an improving labour market. However, the deterioration in EU-Russia relations is adversely affecting Latvia's economic growth outlook. Western sanctions on Russia have led to capital flight and sharp depreciation of the rouble against the dollar, which has markedly worsened the growth outlook for Russia (which remains one of Latvia's most important trading partners). Russia's retaliatory embargo on EU agricultural goods will also leave Latvia among the worst affected, as Latvian agricultural exports to Russia account for almost 3% of total exports.

Headline Industry Data (local currency)

- 2014 per capita food consumption: +2.8%; forecast compound annual growth rate (CAGR) 2013 to 2018: +4.0%
- 2014 alcoholic drinks sales: -0.6%; forecast CAGR 2013 to 2018: 13.0%
- 2014 soft drinks sales: +2.9%; forecast CAGR 2013 to 2018: +4.0%
- 2014 mass grocery retail sales: +15.0%; forecast CAGR 2013 to 2018: +5.9%

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Key Company Trends

Orkla Expands Baltic Operations Through NP Foods Acquisition : In summer 2014, Norwegian food company Orkla announced the acquisition of Latvia-based NP Foods Group, including the Laima confectionery brand, Staburadze cakes and Gutta soft drinks. The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Orkla said the acquisition will 'nearly double the scale' of its operations in the Baltic and make it 'one of the largest consumer goods companies in the region' Peter Ruzicka, CEO of Orkla, said: 'The acquisition of Laima and other well-established brands is strategically important to Orkla and will significantly strengthen our foothold in the region.'

SPI Group Creates Baltic Holding Company for Further Expansion : In autumn 2014, SPI Group announced plans to create a holding company to manage its 'ambitious development plans' in the Baltics. The...

The Latvia Food & Drink Report features Business Monitor International (BMI)'s market assessment and independent forecasts for food and drink expenditure, consumption, sales, and imports/exports and forecasts for the mass grocery retail sector. The report also includes analyses of major regulatory developments, the background macroeconomic outlook and competitive landscape comparing national and multinational companies by leading products and services, sales, investments, partners and expansion strategies.

BMI's Latvia Food & Drink Report provides industry professionals and strategists, sector analysts, business investors, trade associations and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on the food and drink industry and the mass grocery retail market in Latvia.

Key Benefits

- Benchmark BMI's independent food and drink industry forecasts for Latvia to test other views - a key input for successful budgeting and strategic business planning in the Latvian food and drink market.
- Target business opportunities and risks in Latvia through our reviews of latest industry trends, regulatory changes and major deals, projects and investments.
- Exploit latest competitive intelligence on your competitors, partners and clients via our Company Profiles (inc. SWOTs, KPIs and latest activity) and Competitive Landscape Tables.

Coverage

BMI Industry View

Summary of BMI's key industry forecasts, and views, covering food and drink manufacturing and consumption and the retail market.

Business Environment Rankings

BMI's Food & Drink Business Environment Rankings provide a country-comparative Risk-Reward Rankings index aimed at investors, food and drink manufacturers and mass grocery retailers.

The rankings methodology makes sophisticated use of over 40 industry, economic and demographic data points.

Industry SWOT Analysis

Analysis of the major Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats within the food, drink and mass grocery retail sectors, and within the broader political, economic and business environment.

Food Forecasts

BMI's food chapter is divided into sections such as Meat, Fish, Confectionary, Dairy and Canned Foods, and provides insight into a market's food industry, centred on a forecast to end-2018 for the sector. The chapter includes the following elements:

Industry Forecast Scenario - Historical data series and forecasts to end-2018 for growth of key indicators within a market's food industry. Including consumption, food consumption as % of GDP, canned food sales, confectionery sales and food and drink imports and exports, among others.

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