GB, from Camp juices, launches line of ready to drink teas
Valor Econômico
Always focused on the most popular products, the GB Group (formerly General Brands) has now decided to take a step in the opposite direction: It is launching a line of ready to drink teas aimed at A and B classes. "Supermarket shelves are not rubber, they do not stretch", says Isael Pinto, president of GB. "If a competitor launches something new, someone has to leave. There is no room for everyone. For that reason we decided to make this launching to reach a new type of consumer," says the officer.
Since its founding in 1997, the company's sales flagship is the Camp´s powder refreshments, with consumption essentially popular. The best selling second line is the Camp Nectar, of ready to drink juices, which is also the category of products that is growing fast in the company. Its sales, according to Isael grow 16% to 20% per year in volume. From January to April 2010, the company sold 20% more nectars than in the same period last year and 30% more than in the first four months of 2008. "Now we want to offer an option for consumers who prefer a lighter drink, which are the teas", says the president. A new line, named "Top Tea", is based on the white tea and the green tea, and it will compete with the "Feel Good", the brand of Wow! Nutrition, which controls 10% of the ready to drink teas sales in the country. "Our goal is to achieve the same percentage until the end of this year", says Isael.
The tea market, according to data provided by the company, moves R$ 200 million (US$ 114.3 million) a year in the country and represents 30% of the sales volume of soft or carbonated drinks - which corresponds to 86 million liters per year. The launch, which takes place nationally from the next week, suffered only one setback: the lack of cans that has affected the entire beverage market. "We had to launch the tea only in one liter Tetra Pak packaging because cans are not found", says Isael Pinto. The company, according to him, is investing R$ 5 million (US$ 2.9 million) in the launch and also to increase the production capacity of the juices plant of Guarulhos, in São Paulo, by 30%.
At the end of last year, GB, which up until then was called General Brands, has joined Vencedor Laticínios (with revenues of R$ 200 million/US$ 101.5 million in 2009), to enhance its line of foods. The company is preparing to launch a brand of chocolate-like and other products out of the group of drinks. The goal is to earn R$ 500 million (US$ 285.7 million) until December. "Since 2007, when we entered the ready to drink beverage market, our growth has remained at nearly 20% a year," says Isael.