Despite the difficulties that the industry is dealing with, which are exacerbated in the import segment, suppliers work intensely to accompany with supply a demand that has remained sustained since the first upward peak in inflation.
The second half of the year tempts and invites you to sell, not only for Mother's Day. With Cyber ​​Monday and the end-of-year holidays ahead, everyone is betting on a recovery that has the macroeconomy as the fundamental piece of its machinery.

Por Rodolfo Pollini

The market, in general, works daily, weathering the ups and downs of sustained demand, both due to the need to convert pesos into goods and due to supply problems to supply retail and, from this channel, consumers.
Although local production is prioritized, not only finished products that are not manufactured in the country are imported, but also components necessary for the industry. The Achilles heel is how to pay abroad with limited currency transfer. Having to pay 180 days after the merchandise is nationalized, any possibility of granting financing or deadlines is complicated in the eyes of the foreign supplier. The options are financing from abroad or from a bank.

Local suppliers are surfing that wave in the face of a retail channel that buys everything it can to preserve the value of the pesos it collects and in the face of inflation that should be reduced with increases in the interest rate, which also impacts credit to companies, the check discount rate and consumer financing.

“In times of exchange volatility, household appliances are a category that consumers choose as a capitalization option,” said Ezequiel Brusco, business area manager at Newsan. “Added to this is that small appliances are, for example, below the ticket compared to footwear items.
There are collapsed financing limits on credit cards and the interest on the Now 12 and Now 18 Plans is higher, but even so the prices of small appliances remain attractive and the contraction in consumption is felt less than in other industries.
“Businesses find it difficult to replenish supplies due to the lack of product supply,” said Guido Lombardi, commercial director at Goldmund/Peabody.
“They try to get merchandise with every peso that comes in to avoid loss of value. It is being difficult to replenish imported products in relation to those manufactured locally, which are still available with a little less difficulty. We work hard to obtain the merchandise to keep our customers supplied, but even so we are being able to deliver less merchandise than what they demand from us.”
Federico Bunse, Marketing & Trade Shopper Marketing Manager at Philips Domestic Appliances, considered that the pandemic completed a cycle and the market was normalizing, although it left changes in consumer habits, such as the increase in coffee consumption, the growth of products for food preparation and those for healthy habits and personal care.

The demand

For Brusco, small appliances maintain sustained demand, despite the purchasing power attenuated by the inflationary effect. “There are products that in recent years have suffered more from lack of supply, such as planetary mixers, yogurt makers, bread ovens and in general all baking products that are not locally manufactured and have clearly been valued more, because little can be imported in the face of a higher real demand,” he said.
According to Lombardi, compared to what consumers demand today, there is a lack of espresso coffee makers and there is a great shortage of oil-free fryers, toasters and sandwich makers. "We still do not see shortages in table blenders, hand blenders and hand mixers, but due to the existing difficulties in transferring currency, the future vision is a significant increase in costs, which we will have to see how it affects the market."

“There is a lot of demand and the main challenge today is having the product available, unlike other years when we focused much more on marketing campaigns or promotions,” Bunse mused.

To have or not to have, that is the question

Brusco maintained that the problems that may persist today in supply do not come from international logistics, such as the ports closed by COVID, whose impact is low, and there is also no shortage of space on ships or lack of containers. “The main problem is currently centralized in the execution of payments abroad,” he added. “Each company accesses and has different financial tools or instruments, but in general terms it is not easy.”

“Particularly, the replenishment of imported finished products is being very difficult in relation to those manufactured locally, which are still achieved with a little less difficulty,” said Guido Lombardi.

Atma

presents a wide variety of products. Recently, they announced the launch of the Nordic breakfast line, which includes an 800-watt toaster with 7 toasting levels; a 1.7 liter electric kettle with automatic shut-off; a 1.25 liter filter coffee maker with 900 watts of power and a milk frother and warmer. Among the recent launches, the Atmamix kitchen robot stands out, with powers of 500 watts for mixing and 1000 for heating, 2-liter bowl; 12 speeds; display with time, temperature, speed, adjustment and weight control; 3 kilo scale; 12 preset programs; anti-slip feet; stainless blade; whisk, scraper, steamer and frother. Knead, cook, evaporate, crush, emulsify, grind, grate, weigh, stir, heat, chop, beat and mix. In kitchen assistants, the brand expanded its line of blenders with a Vintage line in cream, light blue and green colors. It has 6 speeds + pulse; 4 liter capacity; LED light indicator; 3 rods; stainless steel bowl; beater, dough hook and mixing paddle. It allows you to prepare food while you move on to something else, while hand mixers require you to perform only that task.

Liliana

Liliana Appliances offers the Breakfast, Food Preparation and Cooking lines. The Silvermate AP981 electric kettle, with a bright digital display and temperature from 40° to 100°C, has a mate function, 1.8 liter capacity, stainless steel body, particle filter, lid with safety lock, cable reel, 360° rotating base and 2100 watt power. The Powerlic AL600 digital blender with touch screen display, 12 speeds and glass container includes timer, drink program, turbo, removable blade and non-slip base. Crushes ice and allows ingredients to be introduced into operation. The motor has speed variation, the capacity is 1.5 liters and the power is 700 watts. The Powermix AB910 planetary mixer with 4-liter stainless steel bowl comes with a wire and flat beater, kneader, anti-splash lid, 12 speeds and 800 watts of power. The Natural Fryer AF915 fryer, with a hot air system, fries and bakes, the time and temperature can be regulated, it has a timer up to 60 minutes, temperature control up to 200°, removable and non-stick basket suitable for dishwashers, capacity of 3.5 liters and power of 1350 watts.