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Peru’s XI Cacao and Chocolate Salon becomes a virtual event and looks beyond COVID-19
The eleventh Cacao and Chocolate Salon in Peru will be held online this year and runs from July 20 to July 23.
Retail
Latin American start-up innovation amid coronavirus chaos
From the Mexican bakery delivering cook-it-yourself experiences to nutrition apps advising the healthiest meal plans during quarantine, Latin American start-ups and SMEs are adapting their business models to survive the coronavirus crisis.
Sustainable start-up Algramo sells big brand products in reusable packaging
Chile's Algramo sells branded goods in reusable packaging, saving money for manufacturers - such as Nestlé and Unilever - and reducing plastic waste. “We keep packaging in the economy and out of the environment,” it says.
Latin America's food industry reacts to COVID-19 crisis: 'Our operations are indispensable to food security'
Brazil's Marfrig pledges to keep all its meat plants operating; Mercado Libre cuts commission for non-perishable food products; Ambev brewery is now producing alcohol gel. We take a look at how the food industry is responding to the coronavirus outbreak...
COVID-19: Industry calls for calm as Latin Americans panic buy
As coronavirus spreads through Latin America, retailers are seeking to calm consumers that food supplies are stable, but the impact on the region's economy could last well after the pandemic, experts warn.
Grupo Bimbo goes electric in Mexico
The Mexican bakery giant has invested $146m into its initiative to grow its electrically powered fleet to make emissions-free deliveries in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
From bricks to clicks: Latin American retailers reap 38% value increase thanks to digital investment
Players in Latin America's retail sector have increased their value thanks to investment in digital platforms, according to a recent Kantar report that ranks the region's top 50 most valuable brands.
NPD trend tracker: From instant Starbucks to 'great tasting' CBD
FoodNavigator's weekly round up of new products from around Europe includes the launch of instant Starbucks coffee from Nestlé, a move the company says delivers a convenient premium coffee experience. Elsewhere, health and wellness drives saw the rollout...
Marfrig hits record-high revenue and earnings in Q4 2019
Marfrig Global Foods finished 2019 with record returns, posting R$14.2 billion in fourth quarter revenue, a 23.5% increase year-on-year. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was R$1.6 billion, up 70.2% from the same period last year.
Grupo Bimbo looks for Latin America's 'next great ventures' with start-up accelerator
Grupo Bimbo is looking to scale up innovative startups throughout Latin America with the launch of two accelerator programs, Eleva and BakeLab. “We're looking for the next great ventures in Latin America,” it says.
The factors driving Brazil's healthy eating trend
From Brazil's food guidelines - and its advice to avoid 'ultra-processed' foods - to the influence of social media, a number of factors are converging to help make the country's food healthier and nutrition-based, says one expert.
Korin: Carrefour listing will bring healthy, sustainable meat to the masses
Leading organic brand Korin is supplying GMO-free chicken to Carrefour Brazil, which will help it bring healthy, certified sustainable meat to a large number of people, its managing director says.
Ready-meal delivery start-up Simpleat ready for LATAM expansion
Simpleat delivers healthy, home-made meals to consumers' doors and is gearing up to launch in Chile and beyond. "We validated our business model in Argentina; it’s time to take it to the rest of Latin America,” says its co-founder.
'Your eyes and ears on the ground': Why the right distributor is crucial to LATAM export success
Many Latin Americans see Western brands as aspirational and the region offers big opportunities - but a tailored export strategy is key to success, says one US-LATAM distributor.
Chile in crisis: What's the impact on the food industry?
Often hailed as Latin America’s oasis of stability, Chile has been rocked by violent social protests and nation-wide strikes for over a month. We look at how the food industry has been affected.
Grupo Nutresa grows 8.9% in third quarter
Colombia’s Grupo Nutresa posted an 8.9% increase in third-quarter consolidated sales, totaling COP 7.2 trillion (US$ 2.2 billion) with a profit margin of 13.8%.
How supermarkets can help curb Latin America's childhood obesity crisis
By encouraging unhealthy food purchases, supermarkets are worsening Latin America’s childhood obesity crisis – but certain strategies can help both public health and retailer profits, according to a recent UNICEF report.
Uber to acquire majority stake in Cornershop
Uber is moving into grocery delivery with a majority stake acquisition of Chilean Cornershop.
Mantiqueira on how to premiumize a commodity product
Vegan, high in omega-3 or even home delivered: South America’s biggest egg producer, Mantiqueira, talks about how it adds value to a basic good. "We don't treat eggs like commodities," it explains.
CBD in Latin America: Which countries will embrace it?
The path forward for the sale of CBD consumer products in Latin America may be constrained by high price points and the region's patchwork of regulations, but a few countries are setting the stage for a CBD retail market, according to Brightfield Group's...
Cornershop enters Peru and Canada following blocked Walmart acquisition
On-demand grocery delivery app Cornershop has expanded its services to Lima, Peru and Toronto, Canada, after Mexican regulatory authority COFECE blocked its potential sale to Walmart in June this year.
How to freshen up Brazil's stale ready meal category
Brazil’s ready meal market is small and options are uninspiring – think frozen lasagna. But regional dishes, fresh ingredients and cook-it-yourself meal kits could change this, says Mintel.
Peruvian supermarket chain offers biodegradable alternative to single-use plastic bags
Peruvian supermarket chain Tottus is selling compostable, non-plastic shopping bags made from corn starch to help fight plastic waste as Peru ramps up its nationwide plastic bag tax.
Marfrig brings Argentinian burger brand to Brazil
Marfrig will launch Argentinian burger brand Paty, which makes up more than half of the country's burger retail sales, in Brazil.
Nestlé Brazil opens own-brand supermarket: 'The Empório model is innovative for Nestlé globally'
Nestlé Brazil has launched an own-brand supermarket, Empório, at its new headquarters to give consumers a brand experience with tastings, new products and home delivery options.
‘Blue pop’, e-commerce and how Latin American food is conquering China
From Chilean blueberries and Argentinian wine to Brazilian beef, Chinese consumers are increasingly seeking out Latin American food and drink.
'Design can change the way we relate to food': Foodlosofia on NPD for Latin Americans
Mexican food design agency Foodlosofia has worked with industry giants such as PepsiCo and Heineken to develop new products, retail concepts and eating experiences. We caught up with its CEO and creative designer to find out more.
Mexico blocks Walmart’s acquisition of Cornershop
Mexican regulatory authority COFECE has blocked Walmart’s acquisition of e-commerce platform Cornershop on the grounds it could hinder competition.
'The $30-billion generation’: Marketing to Latin America's evolving millennials
Latin American millennials have grown up and are now juggling young families, jobs, and financial pressures. It's time to stop marketing to this demographic - worth an estimated US$30bn - as care-free, self-centered youths, says market research firm...
Colombian food delivery startup Rappi to receive $1bn investment: 'It is time for a technology-driven Latin America'
Rappi, an on-demand food delivery service, has received an investment of "up to $1bn" from SoftBank and its 'Vision Fund', marking the largest technology investment made for a Latin America-based company to date.
Chobani joins the lineup at the FoodNavigator-USA summit 2019: FOOD FOR KIDS
Kids’ products can often be divided into two groups, claims Chobani chief marketing and commercial officer Peter McGuinness: fun products that parents don’t feel great about buying, and ‘worthy’ products designed to appeal to parents but which lack...
Argentina's food waste law incentivizes industry to donate surplus
Argentina's food waste law, which encourages food businesses to donate surplus produce to food banks while protecting them from prosecution, has entered into force.
‘A financial incentive’ for retailers: Nutri-Score in Colombia boosts healthy purchases & overall spending
Adding the Nutri-Score to food and drink resulted in Colombians choosing more green-labeled products - not fewer red ones - and spending more overall in-store. “This is a potential financial incentive to stores,” say the researchers.
Product-spotting at ANTAD Alimentaria: Cactus snacks, green banana flour & matcha horchata
We hit Mexico's ANTAD Alimentaria last week to seek out the latest trends in finished products. From cactus snacks to green banana flour; matcha horchata to lemon popcorn, this is what we saw.
Innóvate Peru seeks start-ups in open call for funding
Innóvate Peru is on the hunt for innovative start-ups and has committed S/6.3 million (US$1.9m) in seed funding to help them scale their businesses.
SmartFish start-up on driving supply and demand for sustainable seafood in Mexico
Mexican social enterprise SmartFish is driving both supply and demand for sustainable fish and seafood by teaching local fishermen to use artisanal methods and selling their produce. “We are creating a market for sustainable fish in Mexico,” it says.
'A nation open to business': Colombia eyes agri-food innovation
With a healthy growth rate, boosted investor confidence and government commitment to innovation, Colombia is re-branding itself as a nation open to business - and, despite challenges, it is "well positioned to move forward", says a report by the...
‘Politically stable, economically strong & open to innovation’: Chile positions itself as LATAM's food tech hub
Chile is on a drive to increase investment and innovation by offering tax breaks for research and development (R&D) in any sector. “Chile is the natural laboratory for companies who want to see how the market responds to a product," says InvestChile
Brazil extends mandatory traceability for fresh fruit & vegetables
Brazil’s traceability law makes origin information for fresh fruit and vegetables mandatory, and is a boost for consumer transparency – but could make small producers less competitive, stakeholders warn.
Accounts in the clouds: Neogrid on optimizing supply chain management
Neogrid's cloud-based supply chain management tools allow manufacturers to react to consumer demand in real-time, meaning fewer product shortages or excesses. "We allow companies to put the right product in the right place and in the right quantity,"...
How to find growth in Brazil’s declining drinks market
Brazil's beverage market has been declining for the past three years, according to Kantar Worldpanel. "The market in Brazil is significant, complex and experiencing challenging times. However, there are opportunities to grow," it says.
Argentina's sustainable e-commerce start-up: 'We give local producers an unthinkable growth opportunity'
Argentinian start-up The Food Market is an e-commerce platform for local and regional brands, giving producers "an unthinkable growth opportunity" and consumers the chance to buy "honest, transparent" brands.
Digital catalog specialist Tiendeo 'ambitious' to triple LATAM revenues by 2021
Online product cataloger Tiendeo wants to drive presence and revenues in Latin America and says consumer hunger for deals and a boom in smartphone use should enable it to do so.
Top 7 from 7: The key global food industry news of the past 7 days (Jan 14)
From Chobani's new coconut-based range of spoonable and drinkable products to US food tech firm JUST aiming to take its plant-based product, JUST Egg, into China, a lot has happened over the past seven days. Here’s a round-up of the top seven global food...
By how much will Chile’s food labeling and advertising law slash advertising of junk food to kids?
The 2016 law aims to restrict the exposure of children to advertising ofpre-packaged foods high in energy, saturated fats, sugars and/or sodium (HEFSS). A new study explores how much of an impact that could be.
Top 7 from 7: The key global food industry news of the past 7 days (Jan 7, 2019)
From the continued growth of the organic category in the US to Roquette's optimism around plant-based milk for pea protein and regulatory developments to watch in APAC, a lot has happened over the past seven days. Here’s a round-up of the top seven...
Recipe to success: How to become LATAM's 'most valuable' brand in 2019
Becoming Latin America's most valuable brand – like Corona achieved in 2018 – is no easy feat, but there are five consumer-driven attributes that are key to such success, says Kantar Consulting.
ABIMAPI on 2018: Regulatory agenda, consumption promotion and international markets
From sugar reduction to nutritional labeling and a focus on international markets, 2018 was an intense year for the Brazilian food industry. In this guest article, ABIMAPI (Brazilian Manufacturers Association of Biscuits, Pasta and Industrialized Breads...
Post-election Brazil: 'With uncertainty certainly comes opportunity', says expert
Brazil will soon hand power over to president-elect Bolsonaro and food and beverage manufacturers must be ready to 'act quickly' to any impending change, says a LATAM consulting expert.
Top 7 from 7: The key global food industry news of the past 7 days (Nov 5-12)
From Cargill and DSM teaming up on high-potency sweeteners to China’s booming yogurt market, a lot has happened over the past seven days. Here’s a round-up of the top seven global food and beverage news items to get you updated!