The International Bakery Industry Expo (IBIE), September 17-21 in Las Vegas, will once again bring the global baking community together for the first time in three years. One of his largest international delegations is from Brazil, where he has over 70,000 bakeries, serving a wide variety of pastries, breads and other baked goods to 200 million people. .
baking & snacks The magazine reached out to Rui Gonçalves, president of Sampapão, an association of 6,000 bakeries in São Paulo. Sampapão is the acronym for São Paulo’s bakery and confectionery businesses.
This organization is responsible for organizing FIPAN in July. FIPAN is Latin America’s largest bakery and confectionery trade fair and one of the leading events for food service operators in the country.
According to Gonçalves, FIPAN and the Brazilian bakery industry have collaborated with IBIE and the US bakery industry in a number of ways. Mr. Gonçalves shared his view of the Brazilian bakery market as well as his global view of the bakery industry as a whole.
How would you describe the state of the Brazilian bread industry, especially since the pandemic hit?
Brazilian bakeries are centers of gastronomic production and convenience. The product mix, previously focused on bread, milk and coffee, has become more diversified and complete for its customers, including lunch, pizza, soup and products for his convenience stores. We focus on your girlfriend’s 24-hour routine, being present every day, every moment of the day. The Brazilian bakery industry has already recovered its losses during the pandemic, and sales volumes are already slightly higher than they were in 2019. Another key point is that delivery sales are increasing, accelerating trends that existed before the pandemic.
How would you rate the strength of the Brazilian economy and its impact on the bread industry?
The bakery industry accounts for approximately $20 billion (US dollars) annually, demonstrating its significant importance to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Even with the pandemic, the strength of the bakery industry, which is an essential activity and by law serves the public interest of the nation, remains open and open, even if it is much lower than it was pre-coronavirus. Maintained daily sales. Inflation is low, employment levels are recovering and GDP is expected to grow by 2.5% this year compared to European countries and the US economy. Brazil continues to be a land of opportunity, with over 200 million consumers and constantly evolving sectors such as bakeries that are increasingly demanding efficiency and international technology.
What are the current consumer and market trends driving sales in Brazil, and how are they different from other countries in North and South America?
Food delivery has been the biggest post-pandemic change. Bakeries have become experts in this kind of service. Now, the customer has immediate access to an ever-evolving delivery experience, along with service and artisanal production know-how. Since consumers couldn’t go to bakeries, bakeries are seizing the opportunity to improve their service and further retain customer loyalty.
How do bakeries deal with supply chain issues, especially ingredients and packaging issues?
Due to the pandemic, more packaging suppliers have emerged in this sector. The number of businesses has almost tripled, mainly due to deliveries. Thus, the market options have increased significantly. Despite the lack of input, there are more products on the market and more choice of suppliers. A negative factor was the inability to fully pass on price increases, especially wheat, to consumers. We have also adapted other types of raw materials and ingredients to continue production. As a result, we look for new suppliers every week, review all our contracts with them, give our facilities more freedom, and be able to serve our ardent customers even at low volumes. to buy daily necessities. The rule is always to give the customer options.
What is the labor situation like in Brazil? How does it compare to the challenges facing bakeries in other parts of the world?
Our sector employs 2.5 million Brazilians, but the problem of skilled workers continues, especially after the pandemic. The offer exists, but the demand should be of higher quality. That is why we have several educational projects at the FIPAN Trade Show and the school IDPC with a wide range of specialized courses across the sector. The bakery industry will not develop unless professional education is encouraged.
What made FIPAN so successful this year?
A lot of work and a lot of plans. We have certainly won new markets and new audiences and brought to the exhibition what the bakery industry needs.FIPAN is an educational, networking and business platform for the bakery sector in Brazil and partner countries . With 360 exhibitors, 450 brands and more than 42,000 square meters of exhibition space, FIPAN has been visited by bakery professionals from over 30 countries. Our conference also included topics such as 5G technology, drone delivery and energy efficiency to prepare the bakery industry for the future.
How does FIPAN work with IBIE to exchange knowledge between the Brazilian and North American bakery industries?
We are at the IBIE with a record delegation of Brazilian businessmen. The fair has about 50 owners seeking innovation and business. We want exchanges between IBIE and FIPAN companies focused on technology and more efficient production. He will participate in business roundtables and technical visits at IBIE, as he had the opportunity to share positive agendas with us at his last FIPAN. The bakery world must unite to become stronger.
What is the demand for foreign equipment, products and technologies in Brazil?
Brazilians want machines and inputs that increase production efficiency. We have found technology that is not yet in the Brazilian sector. That is why we held these delegations to bring in Brazilian suppliers who can meet this stifled demand. After all, Brazil has over 200 million people and over 70,000 bakeries serving them, so the opportunity for growth is enormous.
.