More expensive nuts and seeds, successful dried fruit novelties

Economic recession did not spare the domestic and international market of dried fruits and nuts/seeds. Mariann Novák, sales director of Nobilis told Trade magazin that the majority of Hungarian shoppers turned away from snacks like pistachio, cashew nuts or dried fruits and prioritised traditional food products. What is more, the price of nuts and seeds keeps growing, so consumers also had to switch to cheaper products. At the moment most dried fruits and oily seeds available on the Hungarian market are from import. It is very interesting that volume sales of fruit dried in Hungary is increasing, despite the recession. Attila Kátai, Gilan Trading Kft.’s trade marketing coordinator informed us that their Kalifa products, dried fruits and nuts/seeds rich in vitamins and minerals, are very popular with health-conscious buyers. Tamás Mezei, the quality assurance director of Natur-Food Kft.’s experience is that the market is not going through a restructuring process: formerly popular products (dried plum and apricot, almond) remain to be popular and hold on to their market share. He told us that demand for small packaging units grew and private label products managed to grow, despite occasionally lower quality.

This year Gilan Trading Kft. organised two SMS-based prize games, one of them, with Kalifa products, is still going on. During the Christmas season they also use secondary placements and price promotions, plus BTL communication in stores. Nobilis Zrt. has always tried to sell unique products that they developed themselves. They sell their products to 12 European countries and to Japan. They never cease to innovate, for instance they introduced a Jonathan apple-based product at the SIAL in Paris. In the next couple of years they would like start comprehensive and active marketing communication in Hungary. In Natur-Food’s assortment we find mostly plain products. They plan to introduce organic products as well and they are working on a packaging innovation. In their marketing activity the focus is on BTL tools.