Vizovice/Quillón - The Czech distillery Rudolf Jelínek has made its first direct investment in Chile by acquiring a local fruit brandy manufacturer.
The distillery based in Vizovice, Zlín Region, informed about the acquisition in a press conference on Tuesday.
"We have obtained an important manufacturer of fruit liquors, made predominantly of pears and grapes," informed Pavel Dvořáček, the Director General of the company.
The distillery hopes the new factory will help to broaden the offer of Williams pear brandy, since the pear species it is made of is grown in mass quantities in Chile.
Thus the Rudolf Jelínek company won't have to import fruits and instead will be able to produce the first destillates right on the spot. The destillates made in Chile will be further processed in the Czech Republic in order to create the final product.
Such a procedure will reduce the costs of production.
The Chilean company was founded in December last year. It has the basic capital worth of 1.25 million euro and employs 15 people.
The Rudolf Jelínek company now controls 80 per cent of the company, the rest of the shares is kept by Chilean distillery Inversiones Itata S.A.
In addition, Rudolf Jelínek plans to open a filling facility in Chile whose products will be sold in the USA.
Highest profits in ten years
"With the exception of 2004 when the consumer tax imposed on pure alcohol raised by 31 CZK (1.2 euro) per liter significantly influenced our sales, they show regular growth," informed marketing director of the company Markéta Matějčná.
Last year, Rudolf Jelínek recorded earnings worth of 18 million euro (455 million CZK) - an increase of 23 per cent compared to 2006.
Oversea subsidiary companies contribute to the total revenue from approximately 27 per cent.
With its profit rising from 1.16 million euro before taxation in 2006 to 1.25 million euro in 2007, the company has reached its best outcome in its young history.
Rudolf Jelínek's best-selling products are plum or pear brandies, but the popularity of its vodka is on the rise as well.
More than one quarter of the production is made for export - above all to Slovakia, but also to Austria, USA, Germany or Hungary.
