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Ad Talent // Newsletter September/October 2009 |
| SA Premium Food And Drink Business Wins Global Award |
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JMC which represents some of the world's pre-eminent food and drinks brands in South Africa, including Lindt, Evian, Mentos, Katjes and Red Bull, has just been named Distributor of the Year for Europe, Middle East and Africa by giant US food producer ConAgra. The 2009 award was handed over in Cape Town by Gary Scarafile, Regional Sales Director of the $12 billion, Nebraska based conglomerate. According to Scarafile distributors in more than 140 markets were evaluated according to volume and growth and only two awards were presented globally. Angelo Carambassis, JMC Commercial Director, says the company is honoured to receive the global award especially in the light of unusually difficult trading conditions. "We faced major supply chain issues in the second half of 2008, to the point where our Act II brand was almost entirely unavailable. When normal supply resumed however, after a six month hiatus, we were able to turn things around very successfully, hence the accolade." Carambassis says Act II is SA consumers' favourite microwave popcorn brand by far. JMC has been marketing it here for the past 16 years. "It is by far the best-loved microwave popcorn in the market with most consumers choosing it over others." Industry figures show the microwave popcorn market in SA is worth a significant R60 million annually. Due to global supply chain issues at the end of last year, sales of Act II plummeted. However, JMC was able to reunite SA consumers with their favorite brand and has increased sales from a low point in January 2009 by regaining most of their lost market share according to the latest Nielsen industry figures for July. "This is a great feat and we are extremely pleased we have been able to regain market share and distribute the product successfully. We hate disappointing our customers - the retailers - and their customers, consumers who love the product. "Winning this award for our performance is testimony to all the hard work the team has put in, and we are particularly pleased," he said. ACT II follows in the footsteps of ACT I, one of the first designer popcorns for microwaves, which had to be stored in the refrigerator. In 1984 ACT II, a shelf-stable microwave popcorn, hit the market. This was the first mass-marketed microwave popcorn. ACT II has since brought out many firsts, including: the first flavoured microwave popcorn, the first fat-free microwave popcorn, and the first kettle-corn-variety microwave popcorn. |
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