23 Jun 2016 --- Natra, the Spanish-based chocolate supplier, has reported that its sales have remained broadly flat in Q1 but its EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) was up nearly 50 percent to €6.67m.
The lift in EBITDA was helped by reducing costs across the business and lower taxes in Belgium.
Strong performers in the quarter were its spreads business while geographically sales across Asia/Pacific were up over 15 percent on the year.
Sales across Asia/Pacific now reprints 4.4 percent of overall sales which came in at €86.73m, which was slightly down on the year previously.
The reduction in sales was attributed to fall in sales in the US and across Europe were down in the period.
Natra’s industrial division, which makes and distributes cocoa-paste, butter and chocolate coating, reported sales of €29.15m, slightly up on the year before.
In terms of volume, tons sold increased by 1.67%, mainly in the industrial division.
Sales across its consumer division were down 2.6 percent to €57.58m.
In 2014, Natra agreed to a merger with Spanish pharmaceutical company Laboratorio Reig Jofre.
The entity contributed €0.74m to overall profits.