São Paulo – The Brazilian pasta industry had revenues of 5 billion Brazilian reals (US$ 2 billion) last year. There was growth of around 10% over the previous year, when revenues had totalled 4.5 billion reals (US$ 1.9 billon). The performance was considered good due to the current global crisis.
"Our market is one of the last to be reached in case of economic turmoil," explained Claudio Zanão, CEO of the president da Brazilian Pasta Association (Abima). The information was disclosed by a spokesperson for the organisation.
The sector also faced 30% growth in the prices of wheat. To consumers, however, according to Zanão, just 10% of the increase has been extended. This was, according to him, a strategy to privilege consumers.
According to the CEO, there is still space for the industry to grow on the domestic market as Brazilians consume little pasta. The per capita consumption in Brazil is 6.4 kilograms per inhabitant per year. The volume is half of the average in Venezuela and well below the total in Italy, which tops the list, where per capita consumption is 28 kilograms a year.
"Pasta has all the necessary characteristics to be a more consumed food. It is cheap, nutritious, practical, accessible in all regions of the country and, different from the misconception, is not fattening," said the Abima CEO.
Abima represents pasta and wheat product producers in Brazil. The organisation’s associates are responsible for around 85% of the national market, with production of 1.2 million tonnes a year.
*Translated by Mark Ament
