Sodexo celebrates 15 years of activities in the country

French food catering and voucher company Sodexo has highlighted the position of its business in Colombia, where it is commemorating 15 years of activities. Sodexo Colombia is among the ten leading firms generating new jobs in the country. It has created more than 9,000 direct jobs in 208 different towns. Local firm Grupo de Inversiones Surameriana holds a 35% share in Sodexo Colombia

Publication: Esmerk - News monitoring
Provider: Esmerk
December 7, 2009

Nestle starts production of new Seduccion chocolates

Following an investment of USD 2mn (EUR 1.44mn) in new machinery, Nestle has begun to produce its Seduccion range of chocolates in Colombia. The new product will be available in three different versions: Seduccion Leche milk chocolate, Seduccion Blanco white chocolate and Seduccion Dark containing 60% of cocoa.

The company hopes to attract new consumers with its new products, although it is aware of the strong competition within the domestic chocolate market. It will directly compete with Chocolates Santander gourmet chocolates produced by local confectionery company Grupo Nacional de Chocolates, which contain between 65% and 70% of cocoa.

The firm estimates that domestic chocolate consumption stands at some 450 grammes per person per year, which is significantly low compared to other countries. Nestle hopes to boost sales by 5% in 2009, up from the USD 450mn reported in 2008. Additionally, Nestle Colombia has also introduced its new Seduccion range of chocolates in Ecuador

Publication: Esmerk - News monitoring
Provider: Esmerk
June 19, 2009

Hershey's enters Colombia via Congrupo

Hershey's, the world’s number-one chocolate manufacturer, has launched its product range in Colombia. The US giant has stated that its entry into the local market is not direct competition for national chocolate manufacturers since the product range and the price-list is different. Hershey's chocolates will be imported and sold by Congrupo SA. Its brand-names include Hershey's Cookies N'Creme, Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Hershey's Milk Chocolate, Kisses Milk Chocolate, Kisses Milk Chocolate with Almonds, Kisses Caramel, Kisses Cherry and Kisses Truffle.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
December 19, 2008

Compass Group Colombia gains re-certification

Compass Group Colombia has received an ISO 9001:2000 re-certification from Incontec. It has also received an HACCP (Analisis de Riesgos y Puntos Criticos de Control) re-certification based on the Codex Alimentarius. Back in June, the British food group’s filial received a Sistema RUC re-certification from the Consejo Colombiano de Seguridad. The firm operates over 160 restaurants nationwide and operates five brands for different segments: Eurest (food for the industry and business sectors), Medirest (for the health sector), Chartwells (for the educational sector), ESS (food and support for remote operations) and Gratto (retail).

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
November 11, 2008

Colombia: Kokoriko gets Disney nod for nuggets

Kokoriko has acquired a Disney franchise for food products aimed at babies and children. The Colombian restaurant chain is the first to receive the honour in Colombia, the first to meet nutritional and health standards demanded by the US giant. Kokoriko will make breaded Disney products such as nuggets without preservatives for supermarket sales.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: May 27, 2008

Parmalat grows sales 8.4%

Parmalat's sales in Colombia rose 8.4% in 2007 to total Peso$348.196bil whilst the dairy group's Ebitda rose from year 2006's Peso$32.39bil to Peso$42.995bil. Unit sales dipped 8.8% when compared with 2006 with pasteurised milk unit sales down 9.4% (they represent 79% of total Parmalat sales volume). Unit sales of UHT milk (7% of total sales) rose 2.7% and powdered milk unit sales (6% of the total) slipped by 11.4%.

Parmalat-Proleche Colombia is the third leading pasteurised milk player nationwide, topping the charts in Bogota and winning the silver medal in Medellin and Cali. The firm invested almost Peso$11bil locally last year; this year, it will invest in launching new products. Parmalat processes pasteurised milk at its plants in Bogota, Cali, Medellin, Barranquilla and Cerete and powdered milk in China, Medellin and Cerete.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: March 16, 2008

La Cabana to open sugar refinery in mid-2008

Ingenio La Cabana of Colombia is to open a new sugar-refining plant in June for operations in the second half of 2008; it also plans to buy back 4.1% of its own shares from groups such as Grupo Corficolombiana and Leasing Bolivar (the founding family owns 95.9%).

In recent days, Duff & Phelps de Colombia reaffirmed its Triple A rating of La Cabana, pleased to see the firm entering the refining segment of the sugar trade, the area which offers the best business margins. Ingenio La Cabana owns 70% of the 19,143 ha it uses for sugar-cane cultivation, the best percentage of any firm in the national sector. Also this year, the firm will launch a new corporate image.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: January 8, 2008

Colombia: Alpina close to acquiring Ecuador's Kiosko

Alpina of Colombia is very close to buying the Ecuadorean yoghurt-producer Kiosko, a firm which is thought to have raised its production from 881 m tons to 2,235 m tons so far this decade and which buys in 12,000 daily litres of milk. Alpina already has a plant in Ecuador whilst, just yesterday, it officially announced the setting-up of a new plant back home in northern Antioquia (Entrerrios) at a cost of US$50mil over the next five years. Alpina is already operational in the municipality, improving roads and acquiring milk. The firm has a presence across more than 1,000 Colombian municipalities, reaching over 20 million consumers.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: December 10, 2007