Brazil to be second largest Unilever market until 2012
Valor Econômico - 06/10/2008
The Dutchman Kees Kruythoff has made a real effort to identify himself with the Brazilian universe. With a Nosso Senhor do Bonfim ribbon (typical souvenir from Bahia) tied around his left wrist, he proudly wears the shirt studs that feature the national flag - a gift from his wife, Sabine - and even his youngest daughter, Dominique, was born in the capital of São Paulo, the new address of the officer who has just taken over the Presidency of Unilever Brasil. There are good reasons for Kruythoff - who spent the last four years in South Africa, ahead of the Unilever food division - to be confident. Almost half (44%) of the global income of the group, which was 40.2 billion Euros last year, came from developing countries. Brazil alone contributed with nearly one-tenth of this sum, 3.64 billion Euros, or R$ 9.7 billion, which places it as the third largest Unilever market in the world. "We have the chance of surpassing the United Kingdom as the second main operation of Unilever until 2012, taking advantage of the opportunities the country offers us", says Kruythoff. This way, the country would only be behind the United States, leader in earnings. The officer points out that taking Brazil to the second place in the ranking of Unilever will not be his mission, but the natural consequence of the development of the Brazilian market, where the company is already an absolute leader in at least five categories, with brands that are responsible for more than half of the total sales of powder detergents (71.7%), mayonnaise (66.6%), deodorants (65.2%), broths (54.1%) and ice-creams (51.9%). Only in innovation, the company invested R$ 23 million (US$ 14.1 million) last year. According to Latin Panel, 31.6% of the C class consumes Unilever products, compared to 34.1% of the AB class.