Panettone manufacturers diversify to ensure growth this year

SÃO PAULO-before the retraction of the domestic economy, the makers of Panettone decided to diversify to grow this year. According to the consultancy sector production Datamark must advance 11% when compared to last year, to 110,676 tons.
The Pandurata, owner of 1906 marks, Visconti and Tommy, started manufacturing in September and expects to end the year with 65 million units produced. According to the 1906 brand marketing manager, Renata Del Claroa, the volume envisaged are in line with the previous year, but the company seeks alternatives to expand business in this segment.
She tells that Pandurata found in North and Northeast a chance of expansion. The two regions have received special attention in the group, due to low penetration of brands and lower average consumption in the category of Christmas pudding.
"The Christmas pudding is one of the most important products for the company, which focuses efforts at the end of year," says Renata.
The Pandurata, along with Nestle and Arcor, represent 70% of this market.
Products
The company also invests in the segment of Panettone stuffed, after identifying the potential growth of these products. "In recent years we've been tracking more and the consumer market with research," he says.
I bet aggressive investments in preferred Ofner advertising to increase its market share. "We have invested in advertising, new packaging and the opening of new stores to grow, but this year is more difficult," reveals the commercial Director of Ofner, Laury Roman.
Even so, the Executive estimates growth of 8% in the segment of Christmas pudding before 2013. Because it is a company that produces and sells in stores, retail performance directly impacts the bottom line.
After you expand the productive capacity of their facilities on the South side of São Paulo, the expectation of Ofner is making between 420 and 430 tons of Christmas pudding this year. In addition, the company must deliver more 250 tonnes for other chocolaterias.
Laury Roman says that to meet the demand of Christmas, about 240 temporary employees are hired each year. "It is natural that the low growth of GDP [gross domestic Product] is extremely bad and affects sales for sure, but Christmas usually comes unglued crisis scenario", explains the Executive.
Despite the anticipation for Christmas, the company anticipates closing the year with growth of 2%, whereas the manufacture of all items of the brand.
The Cocoa Show, one of the network's competitors paulista and considered a giant in the segment of companies that produce and sell in stores, expects an increase of 22% on sales volume only at Christmas, as compared to the same period in 2013.
The company estimates that will be approximately 4.1 million Panettone produced during the period, the equivalent of 2.6 thousand tons of the product.
Margin pressure
In the assessment of the Group's Executive Village, Reinaldo Bertagnon, this year the economic scenario is more difficult, but he doesn't believe that the category be affected because it is a cheap product that does not have significant weight in the household budget. He recognizes, however, that the costs were higher and there was need to repost this increase for the product. "Something we always secure and not transfers, which reduces a bit our margin," says Bertagnon.
The reflection of the gap appears in the company's projections. Second Bertagnon turnover should move between 6% to 7% in 2014, while the production will grow from 7% to 8% over the previous year.
Bertagnon also noted a delay of about 15 days, at the entrance of the Panettone in supermarket gondolas, but didn't feel the demand reduction. According to him, the delay happened because retailers have opted to give more space to the products related to children's day.