Both US beer and food retail industries have recently encountered numerous persistent challenging economic and strong demographic and cultural trends that have adversely hurt food retail and beer sales. The trend is likely to continue even in future. In 2009, beer sales depicted both business and consumer uncertainty. In a span of the last three years, the volume of the total beer sold in US declined from unpretentious growth to flat growth especially in 2008 when the recession occurred, making a loss of 2.1% in the subsequent year. The domestic beer also marked a sales volume decline of 1.4%. Domestic premium brands have persistently indicated losses through declining by over 9%. US consumers maintain their passion with low carbohydrate or low calorie brands that account for over the half of the entire beer sold.
Increased food prices in combination with high rate of unemployment have affected the food retail industry. In the past few years, food retail has recorded a decline with the situation worsening due to economic crisis. Competition in the food retail industry is stiff given the numerous key players in the market who include Starbucks, McDonald and Wal-Mart.
Competition in the US beer industry is also stiff with three key players who include Coors, Anheuser-Busch and Miller. They compete by products that range extensively from wine, hard liquor to malt liquor, including imported beer. For instance, in the US micro-brewing industry, players have been taking significant portion of the pie in the recent period. According to Boeing et al (2008), an Anheuser-Busch product known as Budweiser has declined in popularity for the last eighteen years consecutively. This is because its position has been taken up by Bud Light. This is probably because consumers in this industry are at the present more concerned with product differentiation but not brand identity.
In addition, these industries have been there for long since beer brewing and sports as well as restaurants started. Therefore, they have reached their peak, showing no signs of declining, indicating that they have reached their maturity stage. Due to these factors, Buffalo Wild Wings, a company in the sports restaurant industry selling food and beer products, is planning to expand internationally to Brazil.
Industry Description and Trends in Brazil
Brazil is the fourth largest beer market in the world. In 2010, the country produced over 88 M barrels. Within the country, a number of companies come into the beer industry, produce and sell it cheaply since there is no tax imposed on beer (Kubrick 2010).
The largest share of the Brazilian beer industry is taken by the Brazilian beer giant known as Ambev making competition less stiff compared to US beer industry. This company produces popular beer brands that include Brahma, Skol, Bohemia, and Antarctica among other accepted brands as well as soft drinks. It is by far the main player in this industry although it has been facilitated by successful mergers. It forms the single biggest brewer in the world by volume, taking 14% of the global beer revenues and market (Butler 2011).
The industry is comprised of retail sales of stouts and bitters, low or no alcohol beers, ales, specialty beers, standard lager, and premium lager. In 2010, the beer industry in Brazil produced $23.5 billion total revenues that represented a compound annual growth rate of 4.5%. This has been consistent for the period straddling from 2006 to 2010. In terms of beer brands, standard lager emerged the most profitable brand in Brazilian beer industry since in 2010; its sales produced a total of $20.3 billion revenue, which is equivalent to 86.3% of the entire market value. According to Datamonitor (2010), the performance of the Brazilian beer market is expected to accelerate with an expected compound annual growth rate of 5.6% for the next five years. This is anticipated to drive the industry to almost $30.8 billion by 2015. The food retail industry on the other hand, is experiencing a strong growth currently. This trend is expected to persistently continue even in the near future. In the period spanning 2007 to 2011, the industry recorded a compound annual growth rate of 20.2%. it is expected that by 2016, the industry will have grown by a compound annual growth rate of 10.3%, driving the market to approximately $667.5 billion. The competition is relatively low since the market has few key players. Given the moderate level of competition and profitable returns, Buffalo Wild Wings choose to expand in Brazil.
Market Audit and Competitive Market Analysis
Market Audit
The beer market of Brazil indicated a relatively strong growth rate during 2006 to 2010 period. This was attributed to enormous growth in sales of low and no alcohol ales, and stouts and bitter brands. The entire growth of the market is anticipated to accelerate in the 2010-2015 period. However, the annual growth rate has depicted signs of declining from 6.1% to 5% in 2011 to 2015 respectively (Datamonitor 2010).
Similarly, the Food retail industry has indicated a double digit growth in the past few years. In 2011, it generated $408.8 billion that was equivalent to 20.2% compound annual growth rate. When compared to US food retail industry, Brazilian seems more profitable since US’s growth rate was 4.2% in food retail industry.
In 2010, the beer market of Brazil generated $23.5 billion in total revenues. This represented a 4.5% compound annual growth rate for 2006 to 2010 period. When compared to US beer market, Brazilian beer market is performing quite well because US beer market indicated a decline that translated to a compound annual growth rate of -0.1% over the same period to reach $76.9 billion in total revenues. Canadian market on the other hand, reported increased revenues and a compound annual growth rate of 1.8%, reaching $11.7 billion total revenues over the same period.
The overall consumption volumes in Brazilian market also increased, representing a compound annual growth rate of 3.8% for the period across 2006 to 2010. The amount of consumed beer in 2010 summed up to 10.4 billion liters. By the end of 2015, the market consumption volume is expected to increase to 13.4 billion liters, which will be a 5.2% compound annual growth rate.
Market performance is expected to increase rapidly to reach anticipated 5.6% compound annual growth rate within the next five years period, that is, 2010 to 2015. This is expected to propel the market to a value of approximately $30.8 billion by 2015 in beer industry. For food industry, is expected to grow swiftly in the next five years, reaching $667.5 billion as indicted above. Comparatively, in a closer scrutiny of the US beer market and Canadian market trends, the US market will decline representing a -0.5% and 4.3% compound annual growth rate on beer and food retail industry, reaching $75.2 and $1,141.6 billion respectively. For the Brazilian beer market value, growth has been persistently positive from 2006 (Datamonitor 2010). Food retail industry has also been positive with a notable increase of 20.2% annually.
This provides a ready and promising profitable market for new companies that will focus on product differentiation rather than identity of the brand like Buffalo Wild Wings.
Competitive Market Analysis
The competitive market analysis of Brazilian beer and food retail market will be performed using five forces analysis as indicated by Datamonitor (2010) and Marketline (2012).
Rivalry:
The market is highly intense comprising of three key players who hold an overall market share of approximately 90.2% of the entire beer market volume. To enhance brand identity, some key players have started to introduce modern retailing and management of brand by bringing bold brands, marketing campaigns and different label designs. Consumers consequently have a broader variety of products to choose from with moderately reduced switching cost. Key players on the other hand, offer premium brands but most of their commercial activities entail mass-market products. This results to elevated fixed costs facilitated by the need to run big breweries. Similarly, products’ prices may be pulled down by extensive retailer chain available, thus exerting stronger negotiation power. Those two factors enhance rivalry although it is entirely moderate. For food retail industry, rivalry is strong given large retailers who are pushed to offering competitive prices and similarity of the players in the market (Marketline 2012).
Buyer’s bargaining power:
Brazilian food retail market has retailers who run incentive schemes for loyal shoppers. This assists in customer retention. There is also high retail outlet movement which translates to high buyer bargaining power. However, there are limited consumer places that make their bargaining power moderate.
Brazilian beer market has specialist retailers as the major buyers. They take 45.6% of the overall distribution. Supermarkets often stand a better chance of bargaining on the price with producers which elevates buyer power substantially. In addition, their switching costs are relatively low, thus increasing their power too. However, the ability of producers to strongly differentiate their products by entire segment, brand, style and ingredients among other grounds, since buyers require wide range of products, weakens buyer’s power. In addition, the fact that retailers and producers are in different businesses eliminating the likelihood of forward or backward integration, further weakens buyer’s power making it moderate.
Supplier bargaining power:
The key beer inputs include hops, malted grain and barrels or bottles. Some major breweries in the world grow their hops independently, thus weakening the power of suppliers. However, independent growers of barley usually get alternative markets that include animal feed producers and spirit distillers. This tends to raise their power. However, their power in Brazilian market is relatively moderate.
Suppliers in food industry include farmers and food manufacturers. Large retailers maintain relationships with suppliers. Further, there is surge of numerous retailers who offer own-brand products. Due to these two factors, the supplier power has remained relatively low.
Threat of Substitutes:
Substitutes to food retail are few with food service as the only alternative. The only strong substitute is farmers who produce their own food products thus meeting their needs. However, due to increased health concerns, possible substitutes remain few and therefore substitute’s threat is weak.
Other alcoholic products like wine and spirits as well as non-alcoholic products like soft drinks act as strong substitutes for both beer and low or no alcoholic beer products. In respect to retailers, switching costs are low and prices per unit volume are relatively higher compared to wines or spirits. However, some established pubs operate hardly without beer. Few restaurants and bars focus on wines and spirits particularly if there is a specific demographic group targeted. It is for this reason that threat of substitutes is high.
Threat of new entrants:
In beer market, the ability to sell high quality beer products at premium prices makes it possible for new entrants to enter the market on small scale and later expanding. Larger breweries tend to embrace mass-market production where margins are lower. Retail chains also have significant buyer power despite availability of brewery-owned outlets. This pulls the prices obtained by producers down, making economies of scale crucial. Consequently, entry barriers such as demand for establishing dependable supplies from numerous hop and barley growers and capital layout on production plants that want to produce on large scale become higher. In addition, stringent government regulations on alcoholic beverages reduce ease of entry. Generally, threat of new entrant in Brazilian beer industry is relatively moderate.
In food retail industry, large scale retailers benefit substantially from economies of scale and their capability of adopting competitive pricing schemes. However, exit and entry costs are low, thus encouraging new entrants. According to Marketline (2012), the market has a strong growth that makes it an attractive place for new entrants and therefore, the threat of new entrants is high.
Current Products
The main products in the Brazilian beer market are categorized into five distinct categories. Standard lager is the first category that accounts for 86.3% of the entire market volume. It has been the most profitable brand in a period straddling from 2006 to 2010. The second category is premium lager that accounts for 7% of the entire market volume. This is followed by specialty beer that accounts for 3.1% of the Brazilian beer market, followed by low or no alcohol brands that accounts for 2.2% of the entire beer market. The last category is ales, stouts and bitters that account for 1.4% of the overall Brazilian beer market. For the retail food market, the main products that are present include non-perishable foods, vegetables, beverages, dairy products, meat, fruits, disposable products, and cleaning products among others.
The target market
Despite Ambev controlling almost 70% of the beer market in Brazil, it is evident that beer market in this country is highly competitive. This means that as larger breweries fight amid themselves, there is always a ready profitable room for smaller companies. According to Anderson (2001), many consumers in Brazil tend to consume regional beers more than international beers. They prefer beer that is made close to their country. In addition, smaller breweries tend to focus on regional consumers since they are supported by reduced distribution costs, and thus offer products at lower prices. Further, large breweries do not supply their products to some areas particularly remote regions of the country. Instead, they primarily target restaurants and bars located in big cities as well as major super and hyper markets.
Therefore, smaller scale breweries target regional consumers who buy beer products at low prices while large scale breweries target customers like restaurants, bars, super and hyper markets in big cities but not necessarily focus on customers in remote regions of the country. In addition, food retail market targets both intermediate and retail customers, distributing products across the region of operation. This involves lower and middle income customers and running stores that are strategically located in the neighborhood of these consumers.
Market Size
Brazilian beer market size is based on retail and non-retail sales as well as liters consumed annually. Based on retail sales, specialist retailers occupy 45.6 %, super and hypermarkets take 32.7 %, on-trade (pubs and bars) account for 14.2% while the other 7.5% is occupied by other retailers.
In relation to consumption liters per year, the market size has already indicated a 6.1% growth in 2010. The market size is expected to grow by 5.6% on average by the end of 2015. It is therefore forecasted to have a value of approximately $30,751.8 million, which is an increase of 31% by 2015 (Bier & Wein 2009).
Brazilian food retail market size on the other hand, is based on share of distribution. The main channels include convenience stores and gas stations who take 39.1%, hyper and supermarkets that take 37.7%, food and drinks specialists taking 21.9%, and others who take 1.3%.
Best Locations to Expand in Brazil
The global beer market is rising in the developing markets mostly due to the rise in population growth and increase in income distribution (Sab Miller 2012). Therefore, in selecting a location to expand the beer market in Brazil population must be considered. The best areas to locate according to population and economic development are Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte. The three cities have a population of 19, 11, and 5 million respectively (Stark Tourism Forum 2012).
Additionally, the three cities are famous tourist sites in Brazil. Like population growth, tourism industry is a key factor in the development of a beer market. The tourism industry is expected to grow significantly within the next two years because the three cities were among 10 other cities in Brazil selected to host the FIFA World Cup. Therefore, expanding in these areas can lead to faster growth of the company in Brazil.
Competitor Analysis
The key competitors in the Brazilian beer market as noted by Datamonitor (2010) include Anheuser-Busch InBev, Primo Schincariol Ind. De Cervejas E Refrigerantes S.A and Cervejaria Petropolis SA. The key competitors in food retail market include Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao, Grupo Pao de Acucar and Wal-Mart Stores as noted by Marketline (2012).
Anheuser-Busch InBev
This company is among the key competitor in the beer market of Brazil. It is the chief global brewer involved with production, distribution and selling of beer products and other soft drinks. It sells premium beers, specialty brews and lagers in a number of countries across the globe. It operates brewery facilities in more than 23 countries. It offers over 200 brands. Among them are Budweiser, Beck’s, Stella Artois, Leffe, and Hoegaarden. Its local Brazil brands include Skol, Jupiler, Brahma, Bud Light, and Quilmes among others. Its manufacturing operations are run in 152 beverage breweries across the globe. It operates in seven segments that are based on geographical areas. They include Latin America North and South, Western, Central and Eastern Europe, North America, Global export, and Asia Pacific, where Brazil is incorporated in Latin America North segment. In relation to its financial performances, the company recorded $36.3 billion total revenues in its financial years that ended December 2010. However, this was a 1.3% decrease compared to its revenues of 2009 financial year. Despite this decrease, it recorded $10 billion total revenue during 2010 financial year from Latin America North, a segment where Brazil appears. In comparison to 2009 financial year, this was an increase of 31%.
Primo Schincariol Ind. De Cervejas E Refrigerantes S.A
This is a Brazilian company that is involved in production, distribution and selling of beer, soft drinks and water. Its main beer brands include Glacial, Primus, NS2 and Nova Schin among others. Its headquarters is in Sao Paulo, Brazil and operates as Grupo Schincariol subsidiary. Being a privately owned entity, its financial data is not released.
Cervejaria Petropolis SA
This is another major competitor in the Brazilian beer market. This company is based in Brazil, present in thirteen states of Brazil via four of its breweries located in Petropolis, Teresopolis, Rondonopolis, and Boituva. The company produces beers under Itaipava, Lokal, Crystal, Weltenburger Kloster, and Black Princess Petra among other brand names. It is also involved in production of non-alcoholic drinks such as TNT (an energy drink) as well as spirits under the Blue Spirit brand name. Similar to Primo Schincariol Ind. De Cervejas E Refrigerantes S.A, Cervejaria Petropolis SA is a privately owned entity and therefore it does not release its financial analysis and data.
Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao
It is the largest food retailer in Brazil running over 1647 stores in the country. It offers food and non-food products in its food segment. It distributes its products via 51 channels located in 14 Brazilian stores. By December 2010, the company recorded $18,157 million in revenues.
Grupo Pao de Acucar
This is another large distribution and private employer, operating super and hyper markets, specialty stores, and cash and carry among others. It operates over 1800 stores in Brazil. In 2010, it recorded $20,450 million in revenue which was a 37.9% increase compared to 2009 performance.
Wal-Mart Stores
This is a global retail food operator operating in countries like Brazil, UK, Japan, and Argentina among others. It sells its products via e-commerce. In 2010, the company recorded $408,214 million, a 1.7% increase from 2009 year.
Entry Strategy
As Buffalo Wild Wings seek to enter new international market in order to sustain its growth, it must take all necessary measures to avoid finding itself in a strategic predicament. Given the level of competition in Brazilian beer market, the company’s product designs, supply-chain management, marketing methods, and business approaches require substantial time and extensive managerial effort in order for the company to successfully adapt and reconfigure in the new Brazilian market. According to Elsevier Inc. (2005), entry in large international market presents both significant strategic opportunities and challenges. International markets will allow a company to introduce new products lines that are specifically designed for that market, or restructure their product in order to suit the tastes and preferences of the targeted consumers better.
A number of entry strategies exist which include rapid establishment of presence with the aim of capturing first mover advantage and slow entry with the aim of uncovering local pitfalls and possible subtleties of serving customers with diverse preferences.
The possible entry strategy that Buffalo Wild Wings can use is rapid establishment of presence accompanied by line-branding strategy. This will enable the company to respond to the apprehension of offering one consistent response under one name by introducing several complimentary products, bearing in mind that customers are more concerned with product differentiation rather than brand identity. The line-brand strategy will entail exploitation of fruitful concept of product differentiation by extending products while staying close to the original product. This will assist the firm to meet the diverse needs and preferences of customers better. Given the targeting and positioning strategy of the key players, the company should enter with a product-brand strategy in order to easily identify and claim a specific place in the minds of customers and develop a firm competitive position (SKEMA Business School 2010). PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY AND GET AN AMAZING DISCOUNT!
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