Tradition of giving small gifts every day in December became a business trend abroad and now comes to Ecuador with brands such as L’Occitane, Pacari, Oreo.
There are Christmas gifts that will begin to open this December 1. There are ten days left for that and almost a month until Christmas Eve, and in that countdown several companies embarked, they joined this tradition -family, old and of European origin- of counting between sweets, chocolates, cookies, soaps, creams … the days remaining for the celebration with the Advent calendar.
There are 24 products in a single presentation, the best of their brands. With this they started their Christmas campaign and the sales promise them results.
L’Occitane -which is considered a pioneer of this trend in Ecuador- brought 250 units of your calendar and you only have 40 available.
Its 24 miniature products that include its flagship lines went on pre-sale five weeks ago and with discounts to “reward people who love and are outstanding and have affinity with the brand.” When the delivery of the calendars began, on November 8, 140 were already sold. And 60% of them were ordered from Guayaquil, because in this city the Christmas season “is always much earlier than in the Sierra”, says Christian Jaramillo, brand manager by L’Occitane.
In the Sierra the season starts at the end of November with much more force, in Guayaquil we already see from the end of October, the beginning of November, that there is already a clear trend of the Christmas theme
Christian Jaramillo, brand manager of L’Occitane
It is the second year in Ecuador with Advent calendars. In 2020 there were 150 pieces put on sale and sold until November 30. There was a first test in 2019 with a local adaptation of nine products in a novena. The 500 units that year were sold out in a week.
This is how the French brand started this tradition in the country and due to its acceptance it is expanding. For the Christmas season of 2022, the possibility of also having the premium version that includes more expensive products is under analysis.
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Opening a little window for calendars every day dates back to 1920 in Germany, decades before messages and images were printed. By 1950 they were already very popular and contained chocolates and other goodies.
It was in that country that Santiago Peralta saw and lived this tradition for the first time, when in 1989 he was on an exchange in Germany. After 32 years he has these calendars in his Pacari store. This Ecuadorian company joins the trend in 2021.
At the moment production is 5,000 calendars with 24 organic chocolates, without milk, without gluten. With the certainty that it will be a successful product, the possibility of a greater production is open, depending on how the orders go, indicates Peralta, manager of the Pacari brand.
His idea is that it is fun for children to look for their chocolate every day, that is why the numbers are in disorder for them to look for them and if they do not know them yet, ask their family for help.
They are other ways to have a good time, anything I do now to get together -after being apart for so long- does us good … I think we are the only national company doing it, the only Advent calendar of national production
Santiago Peralta, General Manager of Pacari
Two weeks ago the pre-sale started online on your portal www.pacari.com for withdrawals at your store in Quito or shipments to the rest of the country. They are in the process of reaching the hangers of the large chains, but Peralta indicates that this depends on the supermarkets.
Another calendar that is promoted for the country is that of the Oreo brand. This sale is also online Through www.fastfarma.com/oreo/ and where are the options for Ecuador and Mexico. It is promoted from the Oreo Ecuador account on social networks and as a gift to have fun with the family.
From entrepreneurship, business opportunities are also born following this trend. María Fernanda Barzallo, a 21-year-old law student, shapes Advent calendars that are now part of her handmade gift offering.
With cardboard, toilet paper tubes that he collected throughout the year, cardboard, ribbon and wool, he makes 25 lockers to put the daily details until Christmas.
His Mafiu Gifts venture began in September 2020 with the crafts that he has always liked, incorporating, for example, filigree, which are rolled up pieces of paper with which names are formed, thus combining his studies with his artistic part. It is dedicated to making gifts and details by hand for seasons and this is the calendars. He has already delivered one and is making another five orders for the same customer, which he must deliver this weekend. (I)
Prices and forms of sale
- The tradition of Advent calendars was born in Germany with the chocolatier, but at the European level the trend of calendars of beauty products was created and it was joined worldwide by the L’Occitane brand more than five years ago. It has three versions internationally: the classic calendar made of 100% recycled and recyclable material, due to the philosophy of less environmental impact, which is the one that arrives in Ecuador and has a cost of $ 109 in online purchases and $ 119 in its boutiques. The premium, which includes more expensive products, and the organic, which includes seeds to plant at home, are the other two versions. In Europe other premium brands handle values between 100 and 350 euros.
- The Pacari Advent calendar costs $ 14.99 with the option of picking up at the Quito store or home delivery to the rest of the country that has an additional value of $ 3.36. This is one of the innovations that the company launched in 2021. During this year it introduced at least six new products to the market, such as hazelnut cream, pastry chocolate, instant chocolate powder, organic cereal, Muesli and ice cream. And it reached new markets: Bolivia, Panama and Bulgaria became export destinations and now number 47 countries.
- The Oreo brand offer is priced at $ 25. The reservation is made online and schedule deliveries are announced for the last week of November.
- Mafiu Gifts Advent calendars are made to order and three days in advance. They cost $ 20 those that include sweets and $ 16 without sweets, for the customer to fill them with details to their preference. His work is promoted on his Instagram account. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
