São Paulo – Every year, Ofner, a São Paulo-based industry specialized in sweets, snacks, chocolates, and ice cream, launches new panettone for the holiday season. One of the company’s new flavors for this year is apricot and dates, which since October has already been a sales and public hit. The product is made with dates grown in the United Arab Emirates. The whole and pitted dates are of the Khalas variety, produced by Al Foah under the Date Crown brand.
ANBA spoke with Mario Costa Junior, commercial director of Ofner. Costa said the company designs new products for the holiday season a year in advance. “We created four versions of the product until we arrived at this panettone with dates, apricots, and almonds, which has everything to do with Christmas,” said Costa.
The production for this year was 1.2 million Ofner panettone of all flavors. Many of them are practically sold out, as is the case for the product with dates. “We are producing over 10,000 pieces of the product with apricot and dates this week, it was a huge success, and we probably won’t reach December 25 with the product still on our shelves,” he said.
“A few tonnes” of dates from the UAE were purchased for manufacturing the panettone, according to Costa. The success should be repeated by the end of next year, and the trend is to increase the production volume of panettone with dates, but there is no forecast for the launch of Easter cakes with the Arab fruit for Easter 2022. “Maybe for 2023,” thought the executive.
The panettone with dates was added to the brand’s classic line of panettone, which includes candied fruit and chocolate chip. “The three of them have the same packaging, sales, and pricing strategy,” quoted Costa. He pointed out the success is due, in addition to the quality of the product, to a three for two offer for classic line panettone. “Thus, the customer generally buys one with fruit, one with chocolate, and one with dates and apricots to try. And if the customer comes again, buys three with dates,” said Costa.
The launch is already a success, and in sales, it is only behind the classic fruit and chocolate chip panettone. “Next comes the panettone with dates, and then the stuffed ones,” said the director. The apricot used is from Turkey, of the extra-soft type, cut into smaller pieces. The panettone are made with natural fermentation.
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Tastings of the new creations are offered in some stores. In addition to its own panettone, the company also manufactures products for 30 other premium brands in the Brazilian market (private label). The company has been operating for 69 years and produces all its delicacies in a 6,500 square meter factory in the Socorro district, in the city of São Paulo.
The company has a network of 25 stores in the São Paulo city and Metropolitan Region, serving other Brazilian states through representatives. Abroad, Ofner already sells products in 14 states in the United States and three islands in the Caribbean. Now, it is starting operations in the UAE and intends to advance even further into the Arab markets.
Ofner in the UAE
A small amount of panettone was sent to Dubai to test the market. Product packaging is in English. “It was the first time we shipped to an Arab country,” explained Costa. He informed that fruit, chocolate chip, dates, and stuffed panettone would be sold at the cafeteria in the Brazil Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai starting next week. “Our brand has everything to do with the Arab countries. They are a demanding public with purchasing power. Our products have high quality, beautiful packaging and are much more competitive than Europeans, in addition to our brand having 70 years of history,” said Costa.
Al Foah is a subsidiary of the Agthia Group. The Brazilian company importing Al Foah dates is De Biase & Presbiteris, owned by Julia de Biase. Costa and Biase have known each other for about 15 years, and for three, they discussed the possibility of developing a product in partnership. “This is yet another achievement, and I am striving for [Al Foah] dates to become not only known but recognized in Brazil,” said Biase.
The Khalas date is drier, therefore much sweeter, almost like molasses. “It is with this variety date honey is made; it is much sweeter and flavorful,” said Julia de Biase to ANBA. Date panettone is a novelty for both the Brazilian and foreign markets, informed Biase. “It is an innovation,” she declared.
According to the businesswoman, the date symbolizes prosperity, generosity, and fertility. “It is also a symbol of renewal, transformation, and hope, especially after everything we endured with the pandemic, and it has everything to do with Christmas,” she said.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
