Oven of Mines grows 30% in 2014

In the current economic climate, while companies bemoan performance of 2014 and put the foot on the brake in relation to expectations and investments for 2015, the frozen food industry Oven of Mines, headquartered in Contagem (RMBH), only has reason to celebrate. There are two consecutive years the company registers advancement in business in about 30% compared to the previous year, made that should be repeated in 2015, the year in which the main factory of cheese breads of country celebrates 25 years of its foundation.
Investments should also grow. According to the President of the Oven mines, Helder Mendonça, last year were invested approximately r $ 16 million in the automation of industrial processes, the training of officials and in launching new products. This year, an amount the same order should be applied in similar actions. In addition, R $ 30 million will be allocated to the construction of a new plant, this time focused on the production of cheeses in partnership with Itambé Alimentos S/A.
"The contributions will be made to give continuity to this vertiginous growth, that has only happened because we created the conditions that allow us to overcome the cyclical headwinds. In addition, this leverage in recent years has been made possible only because we are in a process of resumption of market since we have reacquired the company in 2009, "he explains.
New releases-in relation to releases that the company will in the coming months, Marie highlights that will be on the line of frozen ready meals, area that the company has been investing in recent years. For him, it is a highly promising market in the country, since the demand for convenience and speed has been increased by the modern families.
"We will create two or three products this year. Are snacks and ready meals. We believe in the potential of these products and we know about the need to offer a wider range of options, since today customers are everything on the shelves of supermarkets. Our differential, in addition to the Mines, oven brand is in the quality and convenience of foods, "he says.
Currently, the brand has 90 different products, of which 25 are available for retail, while the remainder is directed to the area of food service. Only in relation to the cheese bread, its flagship, the company holds 50% market share across the country. So, recently invested in the expansion of the production capacity of its plant in Contagem. The production line of cheese breads doubled and today are made 5 tonnes per day Considering all items, the production reaches 11 tons per hour. Employees arrive at 820, working in three shifts.
But the entrepreneur stresses that the changes don't end there. The idea, as he is advancing even more production, by reducing dependence on cheese bread and expanding the marketing of other products. The increase in exports is also among the targets. The company today sends about 5% of what it produces to seven countries. "This year we will have at least three more, among them, Russia and Japan", reveals. The others are United States, Portugal, Chile, Canada, England, Uruguay and the United Arab Emirates.
The desired growth also concerns the internal market. That's because today the main destinations of the products of the mines in Brazil oven are the States of São Paulo, with 35% of demand, Rio de Janeiro, with 25%, and Minas Gerais with 15%. "Our market is still very concentrated in the Southeast and we still have room to grow in the South and Northeast, especially with these new products," he says.
Ten years in the hands of foreign group
The complete Mines oven 25 years in July. Founded in 1990, the family business was a pioneer in the production of bread frozen cheese. Since then created several categories of items, all with the traditional characteristics of products made at home.
According to the President of the Oven mines, Helder Mendonça, during nine years the company has grown a lot, so much so that in 1999 the opportunity arose to sell the brand to an international giant: the multinational Pillburry, who then was bought by General Mills.
The company came under foreign command for ten years and in 2009 the family repurchased the business. The following year, in 2010, the Mine oven sold 30 percent of its capital to Private Equity Fund Mercatto Foods. With this, the company became a Corporation (S/A) privately and in 2013, the Bozano Investments bought Mercatto and became a partner of the miners.
"During the time that the company stood with them business didn't have proliferated. I believe that major changes in revenue and product concepts. So, since recompramos, we take care to keep the product closer to us, closer to the original. I will complete five years to renegotiate the brand and we only have registered good results ", celebrates the entrepreneur.