Drinks group Anora expects comparable EBITDA to come in at around €75 million to €85 million this year, roughly on a par with pre-pandemic levels and considering an annual impact of €4.6 million due to the divestment of a number of brands.
Anora, which was formed last year by the merger of Altia and Arcus, is also expecting input costs to 'remain high', while sales through the retail channel are expected to be 'significantly lower' than in 2020 and 2021 due to the reopening of the on-trade.
'A Historic Year'
In the company's annual report, CEO Pekka Tennilä described 2021 as a "historic year" for the group, as it positions itself to be the "leading wine and spirits brand house" in the Nordic region.
"Since the closing of the merger, we have successfully re-structured our organisation and continued to serve our partners and customers well," he said. "The work to capture the net synergies of €8-10 million has continued as planned, with several initiatives to drive efficiencies and find new growth opportunities across our markets."
Net sales on a pro forma basis grew by 6% last year, to €665 million, while comparable EBITDA on a pro forma basis was up 3% to €101 million.
Dividend To Shareholders
Anora’s Board of Directors proposed that a dividend of €0.45 per share be paid for the financial year 2021. The proposal follows former Altia’s dividend policy to pay 60% or more of the result for the period as a dividend to shareholders.
"The key milestone of 2021 was the closing of our merger on 1 September," said Tennilä. "Now as Anora, we are uniquely positioned to serve our customers and consumers – within the Nordics and beyond – with our broad brand portfolio, strong route to-market skills, and pioneering position in sustainability."
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest drinks news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
