09/23/2008 08h56
In the interior of São Paulo, Predilectas secret
Valor Econômico - 09/23/2008
After working for 14 years in Swiss Hero, in the headquarters and in Brazil, the Netherlands and Italy, partner and industrial director of Predilecta, Antonio Carlos Tadiotti, founded it in 1991, with three partnerships and US$ 20 thousand. Last year, the main company of the group, Predilecta, invoiced R$ 240 million (US$ 124.4 million), an amount that should grow 25% this year, to R$ 300 million (US$ 184.1 million), pushed by the expansion of the food service. Today, besides being a supplier of great retailers, it serves not only multinationals, such as Coca-Cola (with the guava juice pulp of the Minute Maid line), but also large local producers, such as Bauducco (guava sweet that fills the small bars), to fast food chains, such as Habib's (ketchup) and Casa do Pão de Queijo (milk candy stuffing). In addition to that, it has its own brand, Predilecta, which reaches consumers at a cost that is 10% lower than that of the leading brand. Stella D'Oro, another brand of the group, also disputes the popular consumer in the interior of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Abroad, Predilecta goes to 11 countries, supplying retailers and distributors' own brand, especially in the USA, Puerto Rico and Portugal. Nearly 12% of the company's income comes from abroad. Predilecta's sales are divided among tomato products (40%), guava candy (40%) and the remainder being increasingly diversified: fruit pulp, spices, toppings, pickles, jellies, cashew candy, milky candy, chocolate powder and fish (the latter produced by third parties). Until the end of this month Tadiotti reinforces its bet on food service, with the launching of the ready sauce for hot-dog. Also right out of the oven comes a premium mustard, which will be launched in tube not to raise the cost too much. Other innovation is the hazelnut and chocolate cream, which will be in the market in November to compete against Ferrero's Nutella. Predilecta is among the six first brands, next to Knorr Cica, Brasfrigo, Coniexpress and Fugini. This year, at D'Oro, in Itápolis (SP), and at Predilecta R$ 8 million (US$ 4.91 million) will be invested to increase production capacity and modernize the already installed park.
