Mondelez sets operation in Brazil

The Mondelez, owner of brands such as Lacta, Oreo, Social Club, Tang and Trident, makes adjustments in your structure in Brazil this year, as part of the overall strategy to reduce costs and improve productivity. "The Mondelez has a challenge to achieve a balance between revenue generation and profit. And Brazil, the company's largest market in Latin America, would not be out of this plan, "said Augusto Lemos, President of Mondelez in Brazil. In the country, the changes include the closing of two plants, expansion of two other units, opening a distribution center and expansion of the portfolio. In may, the Mondelez opens in Viana (ES) a distribution center that will meet Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais. The unit will complement the distribution centers of Louveira (SP), Araucária (PR), Cabo de Santo Agostinho (PE) and Maceió (AL). The company will also close, until December, which has factories in Bauru (SP) and Piracicaba (SP) and transfer production to Curitiba and Vitória de Santo Antão (PE). Bauru and Piracicaba plants employ 1400 people. The company reported that some of the employees will be transferred. Other party will have access to a professional replacement program. The transfer will be made gradually over the year. With the restructuring, the production of gums and candies, chocolates, drinks, desserts and cream cheese will be in Curitiba. The production of cookies and chocolates will be in Vitória de Santo Antão. Lemos said the company invests in expansion of factories of the Paraná and Pernambuco to receive the production and meet the growing demand in the country. The amount invested is kept confidential. Overall, the Mondelez International invested $ $3.5 billion between 2014 and 2018 in the restructuring of their production processes and logistics. The goal of the company, with the restructuring, is to get an annual savings of $ $1.5 billion. The Mondelez International closed the first quarter with net profit of $ $938 million, a result 48.9% registered in the first quarter of 2017. The net revenue of the company in the world has grown 5.5 percent, to $ $6.7 billion. Excluding the change in the exchange rate, the increase was 2.4%. Lemos said, without citing figures, sales in Brazil grew in the first quarter. "The company presented results in line with the designed. For the year, the Mondelez maintains the proposal to grow, especially in emerging countries, "said the Executive. The challenge of Mondelez in the country, according to him, is to lead the growth in categories in which it operates. According to data from Nielsen, the accumulated 12 months ended in February this year, the Mondelez held 8.3% market share, volume of sales. In chocolate, the slice is of 34.7%. Lemos said the company will bring in this year that are already successful products abroad. This week, the company presents the retail lines that reach the gondolas from June. Among the new features are Lacta chocolate bars with flavors of Strawberry jelly, vanilla and peanuts, salted caramel and coconut. "These flavors there are out there and are very successful. It is expected a good receptivity in Brazil. " In 2017, the Mondelez has invested more in lines that mix brands of chocolate and biscuit-like Bis Oreo and Laka with Oreo. "These lines have been a pleasant surprise," he said. The Mondelez also reformulated the Bis line, which is more chocolate in the formula. And put on the market the Encore Black with chocolate chip cookie. Still in the category of cookies, the Mondelez developed for the Crostini of Social Club the taste and flavor and herbs garlic with herbs de provence. In the category of chewing gum, the manufacturer puts on the market a pack of Trident gum with 18. "There were a large number of people who bought this Pack abroad and charged the company for not having this option in Brazil," said Lemos. The Mondelez holds 37.1% of the gums by volume. The company also has revamped the packaging of Tang. In powdered beverages, the brand is leading with 50.6% of the market by volume.