The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Romanian FMCG transporter Aquila have agreed to the terms of a EUR 5 mln loan extended by the bank along with an option to buy shares of up to another EUR 5 mln from the group's founders - C?t?lin Vasile and Alin Dociu. The financing package thus amounts to EUR 10 mln. The proceeds from the loan will enable Aquila to finance the expansion of its portfolio of brands (currently including 'Gradena' refrigerated vegetables and 'Yachtis' refrigerated fish and seafood), new warehouse automation, a new ERP system, as well as other working capital and capital expenditures needs, the EBRD says in a press release. These investments will improve the reach of Aquila's brands, as well as improve warehouse productivity and help the company enhance its digitalisation. Aquila Part Prod Com (Aquila) is the largest FMCG distributor in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, delivering to 67,000 selling points. It operates a network of 14 distribution centers and a fleet of over 1,600 vehicles. The company's turnover reached EUR 370 mln in 2020, according to Ziarul Financiar.
June is the richest month. The most awaited two weeks in my annual festival pilgrimage. The route starts with Romania’s Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF), followed by Italy’s (and the world’s) most comprehensive festival for restored and archival film: Il Cinema Ritrovato. To shake up the traditional article on the two, I’ll start with the […]
Different Beauty, a recently opened exhibition of works by Czech photographer David Těšínský, offers a glimpse into everyday life in the war-torn region of Donbas in 2017. The photos were taken within the span of only a few days, as Těšínský traveled to eastern Ukraine to document the lives of women impacted by war. In […]
Different Beauty, a recently opened exhibition of works by Czech photographer David Těšínský, offers a glimpse into everyday life in the war-torn region of Donbas in 2017. The photos were taken within the span of only a few days, as Těšínský traveled to eastern Ukraine to document the lives of women impacted by war. In […]
Roughly 70% of Romanians are “very” or “moderately” concerned about how AI accesses and uses their data, according to the latest survey conducted by RoCoach in partnership with Novel Research between May and June 2025. Distrust in automated decision-making and the demand for regulation are becoming more pronounced, as Romania rolls out major digitalization projects […]
The Armenian Street Festival returns for a 9th edition between August 1 and 3, 2025, in the “Dimitrie Brândză” Botanical Garden in Bucharest. The festival brings into focus the living heritage of the Armenian community in Romania and the diaspora. According to the organizers, this year’s edition aims to strengthen the Bucharest–Chișinău–Yerevan cultural axis, articulated […]
The Romanian mergers and acquisitions market registered a total of 122 announced transactions in the first half of 2025, with a value exceeding EUR 2.7 billion, marking a slight increase of 6% in volume and 4% in value compared to the same period last year, according to an analysis by George Ureche, partner at PwC Romania. […]
