3corações expands markets and revenues in the country

Scenario of great changes in recent years, the Group 3corações, traditional country coffee processor, raised in almost 250% its sales over the past seven years and should continue to grow in 2013. The projection is to achieve a revenue of R $ 2.4 billion, 7% more than last year, thanks to increased sales, mainly in the South and Southeast.
The company, which produces coffee roasted and ground and green bean exports, will go into a new market category, even in the second half, which could represent between 5% and 10% of its total revenue in about five years, according to Pedro Lima, President of the company.
Changes in the group generated a significant jump of your recipes, mostly from 2005 (see table), the year of implementation of the joint venture between San Miguel Lima family Holding, and Strauss, who held the Israeli trademark 3corações since the year 2000. The Union gave rise to the 3corações group.
A little of the history of the company gives a size of changes has passed. The Lawrence family started in the coffee with the marketing of green coffee in Rio Grande do Norte, in 1959. Later, the company founded by John Adams, father of Pedro Lima, evolved into a small roasting. Contrary to the advice of his mother, Peter abandoned the course of agriculture and, in 1984, the brothers took the company, which was renamed Santa Clara.
In 1996, the Santa Clara has incorporated the Coffee brand Kimimo and, in 1999, was created the Saint Michael Holding. In early 2000, the Santa Clara was already a leader in the North and Northeast. But the Lima wanted to take flights higher and constitute a national brand. The advance to the Southeast began in 2003 through the acquisition of trademark Pimpernel, of Rio de Janeiro. In 2005, the joint venture with Strauss meant the incorporation of trademark 3corações.
Investments to grow have not stopped there. In 2009, the group bought the Cafe Leticia and refreshments in Frisco and dust Tornado. Two years later, acquired the Fine grain, coffee of Minas Gerais.
Pedro Lima says that, when the Santa Clara company came to São Paulo, in 2006, had less than 1% market share in the greater São Paulo, slice that rose to 17.3% in 2012, according to Nielsen. Across the country, the participation of 3corações was 20.4% last year compared with 12.3% in 2007.
The company's strategy during these years has been reinvesting the profits in expansion and marketing, according to the President of the 3corações. A project which aims to ensure an even greater growth for the company is turning reality: the launch of a line of coffee capsules, which will be marketed starting in August.
Budgeted at about $ 100 million for the next two to three years, the project began to be developed four years ago. "This is one of the most challenging, the most complex projects," says Lima.
The coffee blends are mostly 100% Arabica beans-just two take the robust-and all raw material is. To participate in the market of capsules, the Group made a joint venture with the Italian company, which will produce the Caffita capsules while the Brazilian factory is not ready. The prediction, according to Lima, is that the unit is in operation between 2014 and 2015, probably in Minas Gerais. The Caffita will also provide three types of residential and Office machines.
Initially, the 3corações will launch 16 types of capsules with the name Tres, from espresso, filtered, cappuccino, latte, chocolate and teas. Were evaluated about 300 samples of coffee to arrive to blends, according to Lauro Aguilar D, the process engineer 3corações.
The intent of the group is to take the customer class also product C, emphasizes. The launch takes place in São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Ceará, where the group is headquartered, and then will be taken to the rest of the country. The 3corações meets today more than 90 thousand customers in the country.
In the second stage of the project of capsules, there are also plans to make blends with coffee from other countries, adapted to Brazilian taste.
Currently the 3corações acquires Brazilian cooperatives and about 4 million bags of coffee per year.
Since the beginning of the last decade, the company also exports green coffee to more than 30 countries. According to Pedro Lima, the goal of the operation is to know the trends of the sector and improve the quality of the raw material that is acquired by the group. Currently, the foreign sales represent 15% of the total turnover.
The 3corações also plans to export coffee roasted and ground and snapshot. "We are defining how we will reach that market, can have the opportunity to purchase or joint venture," says Lima. Today the Group embarks only a small volume to the United States, with a partnership with the local Distributor.
In Brazil, markets the brands 3corações, Santa Clara, Kimimo, Pimpernel, among others. Also sells refreshments, derived from corn, spices and chocolate.