Monday, August 11, 2008 Nestle cuts prices of chilled goods
WHILE prices of many products have increased, Nestle Philippines Inc. has slashed the prices of its chilled food varieties by about two percent.
The price of a Nestle yogurt fruit selection, for instance, went down to P25 from P32 each while Nesvita Pro-weight and Nesvita Pro-digestion is now priced at P29 from P35.
“Even when we lower our prices, our packaging is still the same; the quality and quantity is still the same. We just reduced our prices for affordability,” said Joel Andres, Nestle Philippines Inc. ice cream and chilled dairy division area sales manager for Cebu.
He added that the company hopes to increase its customer base through the price cuts.
“Hopefully, to compensate for the revenue loss, we (will) double our (sales) volume. If we see (that) the market approves it, we may continue the price for the rest of the year,” Andres said in an earlier interview.
The sales of Nestle chilled products are more vulnerable to weather conditions than economic developments.
Andres said it rained 22 times last April, which is supposedly part of the peak season for ice cream. The rains prevented this division in Nestle from meeting its sales target for the period.
To cope with the weather and the economy, Andres said Nestle Philippines Inc. will continue to produce new flavors for its chilled products, among them would be Bear Brand Pro-biotic, to answer to the clamor of adults for pro-biotic drinks.
He said the company is working on increasing the sales of its chilled division in the Philippines by 40 to 50 percent.
“For ice cream, we are constantly innovating and renovating. Every three months, we are coming up with new flavors, as well as a sugar-free ice cream or Nestle yogurt ice cream (varieties) for wellness,” he said. (NRC)
