While 2020 proved no crystal ball is accurate, GCR invited industry leaders to share their hopes, ambitions, and predictions for 2021, in what is likely to be a defining year for the international coffee market.
The coffee sector is experiencing considerable economic, environmental and structural changes, which have been accelerated by the spread of COVID-19. On the one hand, the ongoing pandemic is having a huge impact, particularly on coffee roasters whose offer is focused mainly on the away-from-home sector. At the same time, competitive pressure on the medium price range is increasing to safeguard production volumes. These dynamics are complemented by consolidation processes implemented by some groups which, besides growing organically, are also beginning to acquire small/medium-sized coffee roasters that are unable to bear the out-of-home market decline.
Even in times of crisis, you can grasp opportunities arising from different market segmentations, new distribution channels, and product line proposals.
In fact, together with the growth of the single-serve segment, following years of a fall-off in demand, there have been interesting signs of a recovery in the coffee beans and ground coffee segments. Gruppo Gimoka was among the first companies to respond to this request by presenting innovative proposals in terms of soft pack packaging and blends to meet emerging consumer needs.
Our group has decided to seize this array of challenges by offering the most comprehensive range of product required worldwide and covering all types of packaging systems, besides controlling the complete supply chain. Today, Gruppo Gimoka is increasingly able to offer solutions for all coffee categories, thanks to the know-how it has acquired and its bold investment plan that has led to an industrial fleet of more than 40 highly automated production lines. All this, together with an assortment of more than 120 different blends, allows us to offer solutions that are not only competitive, but satisfy high-quality standards.
The process of consolidating grocery distribution has led us to develop different business proposals in order to satisfy our partners’ requirements by adjusting our current business models (private labels, co-packing and brand) in order to respond more effectively to global challenges.
The coffee market is characterised by both local specifications and cross-continental dynamics. We must develop innovative market approaches that integrate local requirements with more international dynamics, efficiency and competitiveness through diversity to tackle these new scenarios. The omnichannel approach adopted by Gruppo Gimoka acquires increasingly greater strategic value.
Written by Marco Padelli, Chief Global Business Officer of Gruppo Gimoka.