Christmas pudding makers bet on low-cost premium profile

In the face of competition from craft production and from the perspective of consumer purchasing power still modest, Christmas pudding manufacturers seek to grow betting on premium profile products, presenteável and low cost. "This year, we expect 30% growth in sales. We will expand our line of specialty fruits, stuffed segment and we bet on the mini-panetones format, which allows an affordable price to a higher value-added product, "says the marketing manager of Nestlé, Gaius Soella.No period of economic crisis, the market noted a tendency of the fruitcake become the main end-of-year gift. According to research from Kantar Worldpanel: consumer, 21.4 percent of Brazilian households were presented with Christmas pudding between November and January 2017 2018. "At times when the consumer has greater difficulty of gift-giving, the product becomes an alternative to that effect," explains the trade-manager of the Panco, Paula FavaOutro movement observed last year was the growth of segments filled and without fruits. "Our main bet is stuffed line. Is the difference of our brand and already is almost 50% of the products. We try to offer differentiated Panettone with affordable prices, "says the category manager of Arcor, Raphael Fernandes. He claims that the company is optimistic and design 5% growth in sales in 2018. The Panco brings as the fruitcake launch. "In addition to our traditional line, we seek this product appeal to the market with affordable price and premium package," says Paula. The Director of Romanato, Romulo Romanato, also predicts growth. "We expect improvement in performance between 10% to 15%. We operate in two lines, one for daily consumption and another for end-of-year gifts. Both have grown. " He admits that the industry faces competition from craft productions, as bakeries, but that the company seeks to take advantage of this niche. "In addition to the major manufacturers, there is this whole range of manufacture. However, we do partnerships with networks of markets and bakeries to explore this demand. " Soella reveals that Nestlé will bring a portfolio with concept more artisan and recipes on the package to bring customers to the different ways of preparation of Panettone. Reset Although the manufacturers admit concern over the appreciation of the dollar against the real and your consequent impact on the price of wheat flour, the main raw material of the merchandise, the prospect is that the transfer to the consumer is less than the rate of currency appreciation. "The rise of the dollar is an inconvenience, but we have currency protection mechanisms. In addition, we buy inputs to other production lines and benefit by the volume. There will be an increase of 2% in line with special fruit, which is lower than the exchange rate appreciation, "stresses Soella. Romanato points out that the company made purchases of raw material in the first half and avoided the proudest moment Exchange variation. "We bought between April and may. In addition, the real devalued favors our exports. The Romanato operates in the market, selling to external u.s. and Latin America. " The President of the Brazilian Association of industries of cookies, pasta and Processed breads and cakes (Abimapi), Claudio Zanão, predicts sales growth of 7% to 8% for the sector, despite the price increase. Between November 2017 and January this year, more than 29 million households consumed Panettone in 53.2% of homes in the country. In this period, the sales volume was 39000 tonnes, 13% more than the previous year. In the billing category moved R $600 million.