Skate, beer production but improves can come in 4th Qtr

São Paulo-despite a series of initiatives of the beverage industry to boost sales of beer, the industry production is still skating, experts say. Expectations of a recovery from the last quarter of the year.
After a weak first quarter compared to the same period in 2015, the breweries registered an improvement in activity in the passage from April to may, influenced by unusual heat, says the Executive Director of the Brazilian Association of the industry of Beer (CervBrasil), Paolo Petroni. But, the pace remained in June.
Control system of production of beverages (Sicobe) the IRS recorded, until yesterday (22), producing only two-thirds of 976 million liters of beer delivered in June last year. In May the production reached 1,006 billion litres and in April, 1,020 billion liters. In the same months of 2015 were, respectively, 999.7 million liters and 921 million litres.
In the vision of Petroni, the activity must remain at this rate until the third quarter to just after pick up an improvement.
"It is impossible to have speedy recovery without the political and economic situation in the country. To return to consume, the Brazilian needs to get a job. We hope that the numbers will return to rise in the last quarter. Factors such as heat and end-of-year parties also favor ".
Until then, the manufacturers must make use of a series of measures to expand sales, ranging from special beers to the selection of target audience, believes Petroni.
"Companies are focusing on certain niches. Known brands launch premium products and can serve a public that consumes more expensive beers and that today seeks a middle ground with added value and affordability, "he explains.
The Kirin Brazil, for example, decided to relocate, at the beginning of the month, the wicked. The target audience of the new version of the beer are young people between 18 and 35 years of classes A and B, says Vice President of marketing Minás Vourodimos, in an interview to the DCI.
"We want to connect with that young man seeking events, which is digital, want to share". The brand, which now joins in the premium segment of alcoholic beverages, with the Tropical Lager and Wanton lines Sunset, will receive the bulk of the sum of 400 million R$ that company will do in marketing in Brazil this year.
Already, industry giant Ambev, is longer an eye in this segment. In addition to investments in small breweries, to enlarge the offer of special products, the company has been keeping expansion with the premium beers. In may, for the dissemination of the results of the first quarter, the company reported that it had double-digit growth in the segment. The Budweiser brand led the high among the category labels.
"Demand for [beer] premium is growing, what influences positively our recipe. But of course we have higher costs [these products], "said Vice President financial and investor relations officer of Ambev, Nelson Jamel, on occasion.
In 2016, one of the main novelties of the manufacturer was the launch of the Corona, which had increased production and distribution points, last March.
That bet in the premium segment should continue contributing to the good performance of Ambev, highlights Coinvalores analyst, Felipe Silveira.
"The premium beers represent only 10% of this market, but they had a significant growth in the last five or six years. Bet on them in times of economic crisis is to bet on the public and (B) that has a greater resistance to financial difficulties, "says Sen.
Owner of the mark, the Group also Itaipava Petropolis sought a place in the segment of premium beers. According to the Group''s advertising manager, Eliana Cassandre, the novelty comes from the perception of market trends. "We are talking about a sector that requires constant moving and agile. We want to give a breather to the mark ensuring even more growth and consolidation, "he says.
Despite this, she still sees "a tendency of stagnation" of the market in the short term.
The company''s forecast is that the "winning back market breath" from next year, according to Eliana Cassandre. "We continue with growth prospects despite the strong cost pressures".
Olympics
Out of the premium segment, the focus of Ambev in the second half will bring the brand Skol the Olympic Games, according to the Manager of Skol for the Olympics, Bruna Buás. "It will be the largest campaign of our biggest brand compared with the other actions of the year.
Nevertheless, Coinvalores analyst, doesn''t believe the event will bring the same results as the 2014 World Cup, which has boosted sales of the drink in July 2014.
"I don''t see much potential for the [Olympic] Games. Can even occur some increase in sales, but not with the same effect as the World Cup caused. Is an event focused on just one city, "she explains.