In the land of the grill

Last summer was hot, so the barbecue season was successful, but nothing is sure about this season.

Ágnes Kalácska
marketing & sales
manager, Bonafarm

Ágnes Kalácska, marketing and sales manager of Bonafarm Zrt. told our magazine that the pandemic situation is likely to cut the barbecue season short. In 2019 the company expanded its product selection in the marinated meat segment. Since this year they expect a shorter grilling season, Bonafarm will be present in the market with a smaller portfolio.

Gábor Zab
sales director of
domestic products
Kométa 99

Gábor Zab, sales director of domestic products at Kométa 99 Zrt. informed us that demand is on the rise for special and premium products. In the case of so-called mono products smaller sizes are popular, while among large-sized products mix versions work better. This year the Kométa grill product range returns renewed: grill sausages are available in 300g size; last year the Hungarian-style and cheese versions were very popular, and this year brings the debut of the Bavarian, Mediterranean and jalapeno variants. Kométa’s Quick Dinner product range collects top quality marinated meats, burgers and meatballs. Kométa’s production facility is 100-percent free from soy and the products don’t contain gluten, glutamate, lactose (with the exception of cheese products) and milk protein.

Zsolt Kazai
sales manager
Wiesbauer-Dunahús

Zsolt Kazai, sales manager of Wiesbauer-Dunahús Kft. revealed that they had been forced to increase prices in the middle of last year’s grill season, and this step had a negative effect on product sales. The sales manager mentioned 3 market trends to us: the growing market share of discount supermarkets, increasing demand for family-size products and rising private label product sales. In the light of the third trend, this year Wiesbauer-Dunahús is working in even closer cooperation with retailer partners, offering them new private label grill products.

Éva Tamáskovitsné Gila
marketing manager
Gyulahús

On the contrary, Gyulahús Kft. is only present is the market with branded products. In 2018 they came out with the Gyulai Minigrill range: 180g products in Hungarian style, horseradish, sweet chilli and chilli lime flavours; in 2019 the company rolled out the 360g Grillmix product as well – informed marketing manager Éva Tamáskovitsné Gila. Gyulai products are lactose- and gluten-free. In 2020 Gyulahús launched an exciting new product: grill sausages that also contain venison meat. These products can be found on store shelves in Hungarian style and sweet chilli versions. They can also be prepared in a frying pan, not just on the grill.

Beáta Németh
marketing manager
ZIMBO Perbál

ZIMBO is present in the market with grill sausage products. Beáta Németh, marketing manager of ZIMBO Perbál Kft. told Trade magazin: the company’s classic 300g products have been popular for years (for instance in 2019 the cheese version of ZIMBO grill sausage won in the test of online magazine ‘Maradok a pénzemnél’), but they try to put new products on the market every year. ZIMBO offers products in the popular cheese, garlic, chilli and Stuttgart variants, but this season they are also working on E-number free products and new flavours.

Zoltán Szántó
senior product manager
Pick Szeged

We learned from Zoltán Szántó, senior product manager of Pick Szeged Zrt. that the market share of discount supermarkets increased by more than 3 percent to 39.7 percent. Private label products had a 53-percent share in sales. Pick Szeged doesn’t manufacture grill sausages, but they have developed the PICK Pickolino Wiener range knowing that the popularity of grilling wieners and frankfurters is growing. For those who are less keen on spicy grill sausages, PICK Pickolino plain and cheese wieners are the perfect choice in the barbecue season. Last year Pickolino was put on the market in pritamin pepper-cheese variant, and PICK also rolled out the 280g version of the Pickolino cheese wiener. The products can be found in shops throughout the year, and this is really good news for those who own an electric grill!

Béla Nagy
marketing and
PR manager
Kőröstej

In the last few years grill cheese products produced one of the biggest success stories, and according to Nielsen their sales performance improved by nearly 50 percent in 2019. Béla Nagy, marketing and PR manager of Kőröstej Zrt. said: Hajdú grill cheese is the most popular brand in the category by far. This year’s new product from the company is grill cheese with sausage spicing. Recently Kőröstej has introduced a lactose-free cheese to the market in frying pan and grill variants. Mr Nagy revealed that the Hajdú grill cheese range doesn’t only have one of the biggest product selections in Hungary, but also at a global level.

Mariann Nagy
sales development
manager
Savencia Hungary

Mariann Nagy, sales development manager of Savencia Hungary Zrt. opines that the driving force behind the strong sales growth in the grill cheese market is innovation. Last year the company launched several new Tihany and Karaván grill cheeses. Ms Nagy’s experience is that manufacturers are happy to innovate and retail chains welcome the new products. Savencia’s observation is that shoppers like to buy everything in the same shop before a barbecue, and there is still great potential in the grill cheese category. New trends in the grill cheese market include the growing popularity of the flexitarian diet and the increasing demand for products that can also be prepared in a frying pan.

Orsolya Kovács
innovation project manager
Savencia Hungary

Orsolya Kovács, innovation project manager of Savencia Hungary Zrt. told: they satisfy these new needs with the Karaván Grill Cheese and Cheese Steak products. To the real gourmets the company recommends Tihany Grill Camembert.

Csenge Giczi
brand manager
Savencia Hungary

Csenge Giczi, brand manager of Savencia Hungary Zrt. added that the grill product segment is perfect for trying out new communication tools, because the target group is really open-minded. //