Meals out on the radar of multinationals
Valor Econômico
The expansion of the market of meals outside the home - which doubled in size in six years, to R$ 181.1 billion (US$ 113.2 billion) - is strengthening the relevance of Brazil in the strategic planning of large international suppliers of the sector. The Swiss Nestlé plans to triple the sales to the segment in the country in ten years. One of its main competitors, Unilever, is investing € 40 million in the global repositioning of its brand for the sector and has it expects, with that, to speed up the growth of its Brazilian Division of "food service" as well.
"We see Brazil as a key country, because it has a very large population, there is growth of income. It is a market where we can grow more than 10% a year", said Marc Caira, CEO of Nestlé Professional, unit of the company aimed at the catering to restaurants, hotels, bakeries and corporate kitchens, on a recent visit to the Brazilian subsidiary. In the last two years, Brazil climbed up from the sixth to the fourth position among the operations of the Division that sells 6 billion Swiss Francs in the world a year (US$ 7.1 billion).
For Unilever, South America is the fifth largest market of the "food service" Division and it should get to fourth in 2012. Brazil is responsible for more than 50% of the earnings of the region. To grow more, the company has just globally relaunched its Unilever Food Solutions brand. Besides changing the logo, the company has created services of support to help make the business of the customer profitable, suggest menus and improve the efficiency of their kitchens.
"We will create loyalty through the services", says Rodrigo Vassimon, Vice President of Unilever Food Solutions in Brazil. The idea is also to increase the pace of the launchings of five to six products a year to seven or eight. Today, the unit offers nearly 100 items intended for the professional market of meals. "We have from 400 to 500 items in the developed countries. There is a lot to bring here".
"There is a great potential to grow in the market with ready- or semi-ready-made foods", says the consultant Ricardo Daumas, of GS&MD - Gouvêa de Souza. "The growth in the demand [for meals outside the homes] brings the need of professionalization of the kitchens". What should mean less handling of the food to avoid losses and contamination, providing more agility to the operations.