Bright young things in Brazil spell bright prospects for SIG Combibloc

SIG Combibloc has highlighted the strong growth potential of RTD coffee drinks in Brazil as it launches 250ml cartons there for the first time, with demand led by a 'dynamic, young consumer group' who consume beverages 'on the go'.

Announcing that coffee specialist Melitta has chosen its combifitSmall 250ml cartons - the first time they had been used in Brazil - for its coffee flavoured milk drink 'Wake', SIG noted the increasing popularity of RTD coffee drinks in the country.

Ricardo Rodriguez, South America cluster head for carton producer and filler SIG Combibloc said: “Ready to drink coffee drinks are becoming more and more popular in Brazil. And with good reason. Not only do they taste great, but they perk you up in a natural way."

'Ideal for mobile consumers'

He added: "Packaged ready to drink, they’re ideal for mobile consumers who don’t want to miss out on an energising coffee treat even when they’re out and about, such as playing sport or enjoying their leisure time.

"Traditionally, in Brazil people still mainly brew coffee freshly and drink it hot, but we’re seeing clear potential for growth especially with a dynamic, young consumer group”, Rodriguez said.

SIG said the Wake drinks were filled by Melitta using a co-packer's CFA 712 machine capable of producing 12,000 packages per hour, and that in March the brand was officially launched in the Southern Brazilian states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, targeted at young adults "often on the go".

'Perfect' carton launch pad

Rodriguez described the tie-up with Melitta as the "perfect launch pad" for developing the local presence of the combifit carton pack in the single-serve format.

He said: "Just like the combifit formats combifitPremium and combifitMidi, which are already very popular in Brazil, consumers will recognise the combifitSmall carton pack as a special, premium packaging.

"Then when they hold the carton pack in their hand, this impression is confirmed. The ergonomic design gives the carton pack a firm grip and makes it easy to handle," Rodriguez added.

German-based Melitta developed Wake exclusively for the Brazilian market, which is its second-biggest after Europe. The firm reported €315m in sales in Brazil in 2011, while data shows that Melitta Coffee is the second largest brand of roast and ground coffee in the country.

While Wake specifically target adults, SIG itself also sees potential for the 250ml carton - which is designed for out-of-home consumption - among children, given that its ergonomic design that, the firm claims, "makes the carton pack exceptionally easy to hold".

Source: SIG Combibloc