Magazine: Summer heat doesn’t make biscuits sweat

A quick-moving, intense product category

Sándor Sánta
president of the Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers

Our magazine interviewed Sándor Sánta, president of the Association of Hungarian Confectionery Manufacturers.

What can we expect from the confectionery category this year?

– Stability in volume sales and a 3-6 percent sales growth in terms of value, thanks to the increasing demand for high-quality products.

 What kinds of changes are driving the category?

– This year’s NETA increase (public health product tax) led to higher product prices, but health trends also influence the segment – this means that innovation work will receive further impetus. Much more types of low-sugar, gluten-free and dark chocolate coated products will be available in the future.

 How is the sweets industry preparing for 2020?

– New innovations are likely to come out in the domain of functional and healthy products. We are experiencing very intensive, quick-moving market trends, but I must add that it takes time for consumers to ensure a permanent place for a new product or flavour on store shelves. //

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Dörmi and BelVita products are now made sustainable

Péter Kertész
corporate and government affairs manager of Mondelez Hungária Kft

Péter Kertész, corporate and government affairs manager of Mondelez Hungária Kft. and Győri Keksz Kft. spoke about the Harmony wheat growing programme that the global company had launched back in 2007, the goal of which is a sustainable wheat supply for products. By 2022 the company wants to manufacture biscuits in Europe utilising sustainable wheat only. This year Dörmi and BelVita products will become such eco-friendly products. //

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Detki to strengthen further in export markets

Péter Koósa
managing director
Detki Keksz

For Detki Biscuit 2019 was the year of innovations and generation change. Kálmán Koós and Olga Pavlova’s factory is now managed by their son Péter Koósa. The new managing director told us: with annual sales revenue of HUF 4.5 billion and a production capacity of 11,000 tons, Detki is the 2nd biggest branded sweet biscuit company in Hungary and the market leader in the household biscuit, sugar-free biscuit and private label biscuit segments. In the next few years Detki will focus on getting stronger positions in export markets. //

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Salty snack sales are at a standstill because of the NETA

Gábor Szabó
corporate affairs and market research manager of Intersnack Magyarország Kft

Gábor Szabó, corporate affairs and market research manager of Intersnack Magyarország Kft. spoke about how the public health product tax (NETA) – the tax is HUF 300/kg – had resulted in the stagnation of salty snack sales. He told that Intersnack’s factory in Győr employs about 350 people and makes 15,000 tons of salty snacks a year, processing 1.5 percent of Hungary’s milling quality wheat; 45 percent of products are sold abroad. //