With less than a month for her 6 and 9-year-old children to return to face-to-face classes, Juana Fiallos is already planning the expenses that this will represent for her and that have been out of her budget in these last two years of the pandemic, such as books, notebooks, backpacks, uniforms and the school lunch box.
Regarding this last aspect, the housewife does the math and recognizes that it is cheaper to prepare a breakfast at home, as she assures that putting together at least two lunch boxes costs her $3 a day, that is, about $72 a day. month.
“The other expenses are made once, when classes start, but the lunch box is a permanent expense,” says Fiallos, who plans to make purchases at the end of this month and hopes to find cheap combos to alleviate that expense a little.
On the supply side, the food and beverage industry is also preparing with investment to offer new products or increase the production of individual presentations, which are expected to be the most demanded due to the start of classes.
How to relocate expenses in the family budget to cover the payments of the return to face-to-face classes
It is the case of the company Life Foods, with its products Vita Whole Milk, Semi-skimmed, Vita Flavored Milks (chocolate, strawberry, vanilla), Vita Oatmeal with Fruits, Vita Oatmeal with Milk and Cinnamon, as well as Vita Oatmeal with Red Fruits.
Galo Aguirre, Key Accounts Business Manager at Vita Alimentos, revealed that the company invested $1.5 million in technological infrastructure, which allowed them to double their production volume and improve national supply, mainly in the line of products in 200 ml Tetra Pak containers, the most demanded presentation for lunch boxes.
He assured that usually, during this period, the company has registered a rebound of up to 30% in personal presentation products of 200 ml, especially in Vita Chocolate and Strawberry Flavored Milks, in addition to oats, products made with fruit pulps, free of colorants and flavorings.
Despite the fact that face-to-face classes begin in May, he indicated that they already had a previous indicator with the gradual start of face-to-face classes in the Sierra region in 2021, where, for example, products such as Vita Avena with Fruits and Vita Avena with Milk and Cinnamon registered an increase of more than 200%, compared to monthly sales during the virtual class period.
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“For this reason, we developed a new product, which is an excellent source of antioxidants, and it is Vita Avena Frutos Rojos, which has been widely accepted in the Quito market and in the Sierra region in general; We hope that this is replicated on the Coast,” said Aguirre, who also expects to have an incremental demand of at least 50% in the presentation of 200 ml products from the portfolio of white and flavored milks, as well as oats.
Other company, Milk Gloria Ecuadorlaunched the Gloria Saborizada brand (strawberry and chocolate) for this season, in a 200 ml cardboard format, so that it is available in supermarkets in individual presentations and in six pack assortment of flavors, said Jethro Cortes, Marketing and Consumer Insight of the company.
“In addition, we are working with our Andean brand in some packages of breakfast that contain oatmeal, flavored milk and whole milk, so that they have a variety of food for the mornings. We also have a School Lunch Pack that contains six different drinks: three flavored milks and three flavored yogurts, with the Yogurello brand, that can be included in the school lunch box every day”, revealed the manager, who also hopes that the demand for dairy products has a growth.
Meanwhile, the investment for the development of new products and the increase in production are highlighted by Christian Wahli, Executive President of the National Association of Food and Beverage Manufacturers (Anfab)who also emphasized that companies have taken into account changes in consumption habits and offer products with greater nutritional benefits.
“96% of Ecuadorians, after the pandemic, are focused on their nutrition, health and active lifestyle. This is why companies are going to focus on the healthy and nutritional aspects of each of their products. From there, we will surely witness a great innovation effort for the development of new products, as well as the reformulation of existing ones,” Wahli said.
In that line, for example, Nestle launched the campaign “Nestlé is more than you think”which seeks to highlight and communicate the nutritional benefits of its products based on new food trends.
Christof Leuenberger, CEO of Nestlé Ecuador, He pointed out that several studies carried out by the company reveal that 77% of Ecuadorian consumers mention that the most important thing for them is to take care of their health, and confirmed that 96% consider that the type of food they consume can determine their state of health.
“At Nestlé we are aware that the consumer demands more and more nutritional benefits; therefore, we want to contribute to the nutrition, health and well-being of Ecuadorians so that they can lead a healthy life,” said Leuenberger.
Within this campaign, which will reach schools and colleges through educational sessions, there are several products, such as Natura juices and Yogu Yogu milk drinks; which, like the products of Vita Alimentos, Leche Gloria Ecuador and other brands, have strengthened their presence with combos and individual packages in self-service stores.
Global trends in nutrition and food for 2022
This was confirmed by a team from Diario EL UNIVERSO that toured several establishments in Guayaquil and the Peninsula.
In this regard, Wahli confirmed that sales of individual portions of all product categories increase in this period. During the pandemic, companies have focused on family presentations as everyday activities, such as work and school, have been concentrated at home.
“Historically, back to school has been shown to increase sales of certain categories of processed and unprocessed products. Although we cannot predict which products will have the greatest growth, with certainty, an economic growth of dairy products and milling products is expected”, projected the leader.
As for the snacks and snacks, according to figures from Anfab, sales in this category closed in January 2022 with a total amount of $34.75 million, being 37.3% higher than that reported in January 2021.
This activity ended in 2021 with $382.89 million, which although it was 1.7% higher than in 2020, did not reach the levels of its previous years. The sub-activity of making bread and other dry bakery products —all kinds of bread, rolls, biscuits, toast, biscuits, etc., even packaged— is the most representative, with an average 88% share of the total.
“The confinement and the pandemic changed people’s eating habits. Regarding the snacks, consumers give greater relevance to healthy ingredients; In addition, a personalized experience is sought through new textures, colors and appearance”, indicated Wahli, who assured that the snacks they are the second most consumed product in Ecuadorian neighborhood stores. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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.
