Montesano recovers, while preparing the development of a new range
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Information published on Alimarket on 03/08/2022 and written by Vanessa Verde. Link to the original publication .
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphThe Montesano group is gradually recovering its pre-pandemic volumes , once sales to the food service industry have been re-established and given the positive performance of the international market. Thus, from the 2,143 t of cured and cooked meat products sold in 2020, it has risen to more than 2,400 t at the end of 2021, which represents an increase of 12% . Particularly noteworthy is the exponential growth of the white cured ham range, with an increase of 6% and a volume of 542 t last year, a pace that the group hopes to maintain throughout this year thanks to the pull of modern distribution. In 2022, Montesano is selling around 60% of its range of meat products in retail, allocating another 25% to consumption in the hospitality industry, four percentage points more than in 2020, and the rest to the traditional channel. Its presence in the meat industry is completed with the marketing of around 600 tons of fresh products, including hamburgers, minced meat, meatballs, sausages, chistorras, barbecue assortments, chorizo, blood sausage and marinated meats, all in packaged format.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphIn sales, the improved business expectations have translated into a growth of 1.7%, due to the difficulties in passing on the latest increases in energy prices and those of the main raw materials to the final retail price. Specifically, the aggregate turnover of the companies Montesano Canarias , based in El Rosario (Tenerife), and Montesano Extremadura , from Jérez de los Caballeros (Badajoz), has stood at €54.6 million, compared to the €53.7 million that both added up in 2020. Of the total turnover, €8 million came from the sale of products abroad, with a prominent role for their ranges from Iberian pork. In total, this last business already accounts for almost 40% of revenues, with €21.7 million in 2021, 1.9% more. In this, the group is participating in the construction of the Iberian pig slaughterhouse of the Complejo del Ibérico de Extremadura (Cibex) in Zafra (Badajoz), which will be put into operation in the coming months.
/wp:paragraph wp:headingMore sustainability for new categories
/wp:heading wp:paragraphOnce its core business has been consolidated, Montesano plans to try its luck in new categories and, in this way, is finalising the presentation of what will be its first range of gourmet V range products derived from meat raw materials, one of the great booms in the mass consumption industry as a result of the pandemic. Although few details of the line are still known, Montesano's new 'ready to eat' and 'ready to cook' references "aim to use recipes and products typical of Canarian gastronomy". For its packaging, the group has embarked, together with Nurel, a manufacturer of polymers and synthetic fibres, and SP Group, a leader in the production of sustainable materials for food packaging, on the 'Biotermic' project for the research and experimental development of new recyclable packaging .
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphAs Montesano explains, the action is focused on developing and researching new high barrier materials for the manufacture of packaging that can be recyclable or biodegradable, resistant to different thermal treatments, and, in addition, can obtain the relevant certification of biodegradability in some of the areas: home, marine and/or industrial. "Today's consumers, who are looking for quality products, easy to make and/or ready to consume, need to have packaging capable of withstanding pasteurization temperatures and that is respectful of the environment, another of the demands of current and future consumers," they say. For this reason, and with the intention of extending this innovation to the products it already has in its portfolio, during the first year of execution of the project, Montesano has carried out tests with the new lid and bottom materials for vacuum packaging of meat products, both cooked and cured, carrying out microbiological and organoleptic studies.
/wp:paragraph wp:paragraphFor its part, Nurel has developed a new copolyamide, 'Promyde BF745', which, thanks to its special formulation, has sealing capacity, a property that SP Group and Montesano have been developing for the design and production of 100% polyamide containers with reduced thickness compared to conventional ones, but with similar or improved technical performance.
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