Bet on industry niches for food allergic and intolerant

Sao Paulo-The health food market, disputed whose revenue already exceeds the 93 billion R$, companies seek all kinds of strategy to continue growing. The youngest of them are the products for consumers with some sort of intolerance, such as gluten or lactose.
Specializing in foods with appeal of healthiness, the designs already Superbom growth of 12 percent this year, supported mainly in niche segments, such as intolerant. "In this market, there is no restriction of values: the consumer ends up paying the price of the product even if it is higher. So intolerant products became a gamble to escape from the crisis, "says the marketing manager of Superbom, David.
He believes that, currently, the Brazilians are looking for more info on health, which may contribute to the expansion of the market in which the Superbom acts.
"Sometimes, the person discovers that discomfort is, in fact, food intolerance," he explains. "The industry will offer more products in the segment and the competition will be more fierce," he adds.
The marketing manager of New Foods, Peter Velardo, explains that the company should invest this year in several releases for lactose intolerant consumers with coeliac disease (gluten related) and even vegans.
"Our strategy of releases for this year hardly will reach who is only thinking about price. Our audience is willing to pay more for truly healthy products ", he ponders.
The Enova Foods owns several brands, including Agtal, whose flagship is a small bar made from oleaginous plants (known as chestnuts), dried fruits and seeds.
"Despite our cost being up to three times higher than that of competitors, our profit margin is much the same, as a major portion of the inputs is imported,".
For 2017, the company provides 12% expansion. However, only in the segment of Healthfulness growth should revolve around 20% to 24%. "This is a conservative projection," he says.
According to Euromonitor study, the Brazilian market of healthy food (packaged) moved 93.6 billion in 2016 R$. In the period, the Brazilian spent, on average, $119 in the segment, while in countries like USA annual spending has exceeded $500.
"Even compared to Latin American countries, we are below the market potential. The Chileans, for example, spent $167 last year with healthy foods, "says the research analyst Euromonitor International, Angelica Salado.
She adds that, in Brazil, food and non-alcoholic beverages with healthy appeal represent about 20% of the sales of the food industry.
Also according to the Euromonitor, in the last five years the turnover of the Brazilian market of healthy foods grew at a annual rate of 12.3% (inflation). "The average global growth in the same period was only 1%," notes Angelica.
The Euromonitor predicts an average annual growth rate of 4.4% of sales in the segment in the country by 2021, when the turnover of this market should reach $115.7 billion.
"The pace of growth could be much higher, considering the level of maturity of the local market and the still low penetration of certain healthy products in Brazilian homes," says Angelica. "The current economic crisis was one of the main factors to affect the expectations of revenue of the companies that operate in the field of healthy foods and beverages."
Economic crisis
Even so, Oliveira, Superbom, States that the products with appeal of Healthfulness have less exposure to weather. "In times of crisis, companies tend to invest less. But we''re going to launch 18 products this year to ensure revenue increase ", points out. One of these products is a "cheese" potato-based, public-facing vegan, but that also meets the lactose and gluten intolerant. "In this case, the price is not the determining factor," says.
Velardo reports that the bars will remain in the focus of the New Foods for this year. However, the company intends to expand the range of operation.
"In addition to launching a mix of nuts on the exact portion recommended by experts, Let''s bet on high-protein bars, geared for those who practice bodybuilding", says the Executive.
Both the Enova Foods as the Superbom have as target audience classes A and b. However, executives highlight that the crisis has hit everyone. "This should be an extremely challenging year, as 2016," says Oliveira.
Despite admitting that the crisis impacted the Enova Foods, Velardo ensures that the consumer is willing to pay more for the company''s products. "We are not winning new customers, they are changing their eating habits," says. To increase penetration in the Brazilian market, the company intends to expand distribution. "We are restructuring our sales team", he observes.
Already the Manager of Superbom believes that this will be a year to further consolidate the company. "We''re in over 25000 retail outlets in the country and have been increasingly recognized in new niches, such as vegan food, for example," says Oliveira.