Mine takes oven cheese bread to u.s. theaters

In an effort to increase sales in its main export market, the Oven, frozen food company, struck a deal with the American network Cinemark theaters to sell cheese breads in theaters in the United States.
Since June, the product is on sale in kiosks of the Cinemark complex, alongside traditional products such as popcorn, chocolates and soft drinks, among other items.
This is the first window that the Brazilian company, leader in the sale of frozen cheese breads, has to reach the American middle-class consumer. The United States is already the largest importer of cheese bread company. Per month, are nothing less than 75 tons shipped in three containers for the country. But, until now, customers of u.s. Mines oven is formed basically by immigrants from Brazil and other Latin American countries, who buy cheese buns in markets aimed at this audience, primarily on the East Coast.
"Cinemark is our first big client that has visibility and focus on the American consumer," said Helder Marin, President of the company, which is headquartered in Contagem, in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte.
A package with five loaves of cheese will be sold in kiosks of complex 36 in Florida, in the region known as the mid-Atlantic, which covers New York, Washington D.C. and other States in the influential East Coast far North. The product also will be distributed in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The mine already sells oven cheese breads in the exhibition rooms of the Cinemark in Brazil. Marie said that to talk with network executives in the u.s., the idea had good reception. The product earned extra points in the discussion, remember the entrepreneur, by being free of gluten, a condition increasingly sought by the American consumer.
By the initial agreement, a greenhouse and a banner will attract attention to the novelty at the kiosks of Cinemark. Marie comes this first step of selling American classrooms as a step for a business that can be much larger.
"They have more than 300 cinema complexes in the United States and we want to reach all of them," said the Manager. The Cinemark, said Marinkovic, is a great showcase for the product, a location for American families to experience the mining expertise and then to buy it in other environments.
The company set up a subsidiary in American soil that sells the product to grocery stores, cafes and restaurants.
A package especially designed for the American market presents the product as "cheese roll". But the name also appears on cheese bread.
Exports represent 8% of the revenues of the Oven and the goal of the company is to increase this to 25% by 2020. Of the 120 tonnes exported per month, to several countries, the USA account for 75 tonnes. Canada, Portugal, England, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and the United Arab Emirates are some of the other export destinations. The company provides for this year's start of sales in Italy, in Switzerland and in Japan.
The expectation of Mine is oven increase revenues between 25% and 30% this year compared to 2014, which would give something like $ 300 million, said Marin. The investment this year could reach close to $ 30 million. The funds will be used for the launch of a line of products-kept secret-and the extension of production capacity in a few lines.
Last year, Marin and his partners decided to revise a strategy they were studying from 2013. In June of that year, Marin announced that it intended to sell 20% to 30% of the share capital of the company and, with it, raise about $ 150 million.
The partner investor would help in a plan to enter the bakery segment. The idea, he told him, was to build a number of small production units of French bread, Italian, ciabata and baguette, among other products, to cater to their neighborhood stores and supermarkets.
The plan was shelved and, this year, with the economy in retraction, has become even more distant. What the members think it is now starting to experience in this line, but on a smaller scale, with a smaller investment.
The Oven of Mines was established in 1990 by Maria Dalva Christian Marin, who now runs the business with his sons and Melanie Marie, Helder and partner Vincent Camiloti.