Romania presents a compelling opportunity for British food and drink exporters. The trade relationship is active, the consumer base is substantial, and the country is rapidly developing as a market where UK visitors continue to seek familiar products.
The key challenge is bringing in the right British products in appropriate quantities while avoiding risks such as over-ordering, unnecessary delays, or documentation issues that could slow the process.**
**UK exports to Romania reached £2.8 billion in the four quarters ending Q1 2025, highlighting established trade routes and a market where British goods already circulate.
Romania offers access to 19.6 million potential consumers, with rising wage levels and increasingly sophisticated tastes. Widespread knowledge of foreign languages, particularly English, further facilitates commercial discussions and product positioning.
Why Romania Is a Practical Market for British Imports
For suppliers in retail, hospitality, or food service, Romania offers strong opportunities for British products. Local demand is growing as consumer spending power increases, and tourism is expanding, creating reliable pockets of demand for familiar UK items.
This combination allows you to build a product range that performs consistently throughout the year, while scaling specific lines based on actual sales rather than predictions.
Tourism figures highlight this potential: Romania welcomed 323,975 UK visitors in 2024, and 72,700 arrivals were recorded in the first half of 2025 (January to June). The country continues to be a fast-growing destination for British travellers attracted by its history, mountains, and medieval charm.
As a result, hotels, resorts, airports, specialist retailers, and city-centre venues can benefit from maintaining a core range of familiar British products consistently available for visitors.
British Products to Consider for Romania
Early success often comes from product lines that are easy to range, store, and instantly recognisable, especially when catering to UK tourists or internationally minded consumers in major cities. Starting with a focused selection can help you learn quickly and minimise waste.
Recommended categories include:
- British biscuits and sweet bakery items (digestives, shortbread-style products, everyday treats)
- Chocolate and confectionery lines that are widely recognised
- Tea, including popular branded blends and herbal options where appropriate
There is also demand for classic savoury items associated with British pub cuisine. However, this tends to be location-specific (e.g., British-themed venues or specialist operators in Bucharest and other major cities) and is usually best introduced as a targeted range once clear outlets are established.
How Leverbrook Export Supports UK to Romania Imports
Once you have shortlisted your products, the next step is ensuring your shipments arrive on time with the correct documentation, accurate labelling where needed, and a freight plan tailored to your volumes. Our approach is practical, ensuring shipments move reliably and predictably with minimal complexity on your side.
Documentation and Compliance Support
Through our close relationships with the local chamber of commerce and various embassies, we provide fully legalised and certified sets of documents without delay. We charge only the official rates set by these institutions, making no profit, as accurate documentation is essential to delivering the service you expect.
In addition to standard paperwork, we can provide EORI numbers, Halal, DEFRA, and radiation certificates. The list is not exhaustive—simply tell us your requirements, and we will advise based on the products and destination.
Sea Freight Options for Ambient, Chilled, and Refrigerated Goods
For regular volumes, we offer tailored sea freight options, including chilled, refrigerated, and dry ambient containers. Chilled and refrigerated containers are supplied with generator sets, with temperature set at our warehouse and maintained throughout transit to your destination.
Container options include 20ft, 40ft, and 40ft high cube units, accommodating 10 pallets, 20 pallets, and 20 tall pallets respectively. High cube containers are particularly useful for bulky, lightweight products.
Groupage and Consolidation for Smaller Orders
For orders below a full container load, we offer groupage (LCL shipments), allowing sea freight orders from as little as one pallet. Your goods are consolidated with other customers’ shipments to the same port, and local agents handle customs clearance and delivery to your specified address.
We can also provide consolidated pallets, combining multiple products onto a single pallet. This allows precise stock control, ordering only what you need. Our groupage and consolidation services are offered at cost, enabling you to trial your Romanian range before scaling up.
Airfreight for Urgent or Time-Sensitive Shipments
For fast delivery, we provide a reliable, competitively priced air freight service. Shipments can range from a 100kg mixed pallet to several pallets weighing multiple tonnes. Frozen, chilled, or ambient goods are securely packed, with export pallet boxes available for fragile items.
We work with major airlines to secure cost-effective freight rates, carrying air freight at cost with no profit. We manage all export paperwork, provide full flight and air waybill details before dispatch, and supply hard copies with the palletised order. If needed, we can also arrange customs clearance at the destination and direct delivery to your premises.
Labelling, Translation, and Date Coding Support
If your products require additional labelling or market-specific information, we offer a full labelling, translation, and ink jetting service. Labels can be professionally translated into multiple languages, and our ink jetting facility prints production and expiry dates, ensuring compliance with import regulations in overseas market.
Talk to Us About Your Romania Import Requirements
If you are importing British food and drink to Romania, your operations will run more smoothly when documentation, shipping methods, and order sizes align with your sales strategy—especially if you are building a range that serves both local demand and the growing UK tourist market.
Whether you are supplying hotels in Bucharest and Cluj, modern retail outlets in key cities, or specialist stores that require smaller, frequent top-ups, the practical details will vary. That’s why it’s valuable to discuss your route to market, expected order frequency, and the categories you want to prioritise from the outset.
Once we understand your sales plan, we can help you select the most suitable freight method, determine whether groupage is appropriate for early orders, and ensure that all documentation and labelling support are managed efficiently to keep your goods moving smoothly.