Cereser increases price and foresees record sales in 2010
Valor Econômico
There are only 72 days left in 2010. At Viti-Vinícola Cereser, manufacturer of the famous Cereser cider, the countdown began nearly a month ago. That because 80% of the sales of the most famous Brazilian brand of the beverage take place in the last four months of the year. And this time, the production should break all records: the company expects to sell 36 million bottles of cider more than the 300 million units sold in 2009 - 10% more than the volume sold last year.
"For us, 2009 was a good year because we managed to grow 8% compared to 2008", says José Fontelles, commercial officer of Cereser. The market, according to him, grew 7% in the same period. The company holds 75% of the sales in volume of the cider market, according to Nielsen. But, according to Fontelles, that share may be greater, since the number audited by Nielsen does not include the non-alcoholic, sugarless and flavored versions. "At least seven of every bottle of sparkling wine open in Brazil on new year's eve are produced by Cereser", says the Executive.
Last year the company launched the "zero sugar" version of the cider and a little before it had put the "zero alcohol" version on the shelves. While the traditional cider grows 8%, the version with no alcohol grows 20% in volume. The 85 year-old family company based in Jundiaí does not disclose the earnings. Ciders are sold under the brands Cereser and Chuva de Prata (Silver Rain, in English). "Our sales grow everywhere in the country, but Cereser is consumed more by classes C and D and Chuva de Prata by classes C and B", says the Executive.
Not even the competition from other wineries, which launched ciders with nearly similar packaging or at cheaper prices, have affected the leadership of Cereser, whose 660 ml bottle costs, in average, R$ 5 (US$ 2.9). Notwithstanding the low price, Cereser and Chuva de Prata will be between 5% and 6% more expensive this year due to the increase in the price of paperboard, which impacts on the packaging, and sugar. The beverage, made from the fermentation of apple, is produced in the Jundiaí plant, in the interior of São Paulo. The company has another plant in Suape (PE), inaugurated in 2006, for the production of distilled beverages and wine.
"About seven years ago, ciders were responsible for up to 60% of our sales. Today our portfolio of products is more diversified and the percentage decreased to 35%, even though the sales have been growing", says Fontelles. The Cereser currently produces, besides the cider, whisky, wine, vodka, "ice vodka", sugar cane rum and Jussy, the line of ready to drink juices. The company also directs 15% of its sales for export. "We export to 40 countries", says Fontelles.