Even better price/value ratio squeezed out of those plastic bottles

Due to the elevated packaging material and ingredient prices, to a certain extent wet condiment prices rose in the spring of 2012, which obviously led to a bit lower volume sales. Manufacturers try to improve the situation with price promotions and with promotions that offer better a price/value ratio. Petra Dénes-Tomanova, Unilever’s junior brand manager (dressing category) told Trade magazin that shoppers are highly price-sensitive and like price discounts and ‘+1 product for free’-type offers the best.

She added that multinational brands are still the leaders in the segment and that the popularity of larger packaging units is growing. Rita Bazsó, product category manager at Univer Product Zrt. called attention to the trend that the majority of sales is realised by unflavoured, so-called basic flavours. They also offer flavoured products that sell rather well, such as Univer Extra Mayonnaise, Mayonnaise Horseradish, Hot Ketchup or Horseradish Mustard; this year they will come out with new products. István Bacskai, director of commerce at Koch’s Torma Kft. informed us that a significant part of sales are still realised seasonally – unfortunately these seasons are getting shorter from year to year. Koch’s experience is that volume sales of private label and first-price products is augmenting, while slightly less branded products are sold than earlier. Koch’s plain, cream, mayonnaise and apple flavoured horseradish products remained consumer favourites and the wasabi horseradish that they had launched a couple of years ago also keeps conquering new groups of consumers. Mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard are very popular in Hungary and people are loyal to their favourite brands. Last year Unilever managed to introduce a special innovation, Globus Gourmet Sauce, a mayonnaise-based sauce with pickled gherkin and chives. Maresi Foodbroker Kft. is the distributor of the Felix brand and brand manager Edina Prencsokné Dékány told us that Felix ketchup is a premium product that competes with other branded products and not with PL ketchups, so they focus on offering as good a value for money as possible. Probably this is the reason why sales shifted from the 450g version to the 1-1.5kg versions. Their flavoured products are becoming more and more important, the most dynamically developing segment being the ‘Hell’s Fire ketchup’ and ‘ketchup without added sugar’ products. In 2012 Felix developed the first ketchup made with natural sweetener stevia. This product stands alone on the market and is the perfect choice for health-conscious consumers. Last year they also appeared in shops with pasta sauces in three versions: Bologna, 5-spices and Arrabbiata.