In Europe, the German group Henkell Freixenet is known for a very large and varied portfolio of beverages, from starter spirits that include vodka and ready-made shakes to higher value wines and sparkling wines from Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Here, in Brazil, its operations are mainly concentrated in this premium segment on behalf of Freixenet, a brand that has been part of the Henkell group since 2018. It is the bottles of cava, the Spanish sparkling wine produced by the traditional method, that represent the main slice of revenue. Little by little, however, the Brazilian operation has been expanding the options it offers, without losing focus on this consumer with greater purchasing power. And, with that, it has been growing rapidly, above expectations.
“It is a brand building strategy, to bring new products that will not harm this positioning, but that are aligned with trends,” said Fabiano Ruiz, executive director of Henkell Freixenet in Brazil. The portfolio jumped from 30 to 60 products in 2020. For this year, the goal is to reach 100. It now includes Italian wines, non-alcoholic sparkling wines and ready-to-eat beverages such as sangria. “The non-alcoholic sparkling wine was very good. There were 18 thousand bottles last year. For 2021, the goal is to reach 70 thousand, and we have already sold 40 thousand”, said Ruiz, anticipating the high demand associated with the end-of-year parties. The company is also launching a line of Spanish and German wines and options for wine seltzer, a carbonated wine-based drink, marking its entry into the can segment. Ruiz also points out the choice of the design of the bottles, which are quite “unstampable”, to reinforce the brand’s positioning in line with trends, but with a quality associated with tradition.
“In Brazil, the brand is associated with higher value sparkling wines. by bringing new products, we cannot harm this position.” Fabiano Ruiz, Executive Director of Henkell Freixenet.
PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL The plan is working. Last year, the company’s sales grew 62%. And the projection for 2021 is to close the year with sales of R$ 85 million and an increase of 80% in sales. E-commerce has gained relevance, although it is a complement to sales in more exclusive physical stores, such as Empório Santa Maria, and to partnerships with sites such as Privalia and Westwing. “These are platforms with higher added value products. We are looking for this to continue growing”, said Ruiz.
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