Cargill and ConAgra Foods bring Hunt's and ACT II brands to Brazil

Cargill and ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE:CAG) are pleased to announce a partnership to bring the Hunt’s® line of condiments and ACT II® microwave popcorn to Brazil. Reinforcing its commitment of delivering products and brands of the highest quality to consumers, Cargill will now distribute Hunt’s condiments and ACT II popcorn in the country, which both belong to ConAgra Foods®, one of the largest food companies in North America, with brands found in 99 percent of homes in the United States.

Under the partnership, Cargill will distribute Hunt’s products produced at ConAgra Foods plants in the United States, specifically tomato ketchup in two packages (383g bottle and 567g squeeze bottle); yellow mustard in 340g bottles; and barbecue sauce in 510g bottles in three flavors – Original, Hickory and Mustard and Honey.

ACT II microwave popcorn will be produced and distributed locally for the first time, in the following flavors and packaging: Regular (85g bag), Butter (85g bag), Light Butter (80.8g bag), Extra Butter (85g bag), and the promotional packs (Pay Three, Take Four) in the Regular and Butter flavors. ACT II is the best selling microwave popcorn brand worldwide.

In the past three years the condiments market has grown 4.5 percent a year; the main product in this category is tomato ketchup, which accounts for about 93 percent of this market. In Brazil, the microwave popcorn market has considerable growth potential as a result of strong sales of microwave ovens to the country’s new middle class in recent decades.

According to Haroldo Rego, leader of Cargill’s Dressing & Oils segment, these products will represent new high-quality alternatives for Brazilian consumers. “This partnership combines ConAgra Foods market expertise with Cargill’s sales, distribution, and merchandising strength to serve increasingly demanding consumers, in terms of the quality of the products they buy. In Brazil, the microwave popcorn category has considerable room for growth when compared to sales in other countries; additionally, everyone loves ketchup in Brazil. Our consumers look for more quality and flavor, and they will find this in the Hunt’s and ACT II brands, which are leaders in these segments,” he said.

Starting in October, Hunt’s line of condiments will be available in supermarkets and other food retailers nationwide, and ACT II microwave popcorn will be distributed through supermarkets in the state of São Paulo. Cargill and ConAgra Foods are preparing a series of promotion and tasting initiatives for end consumers, to strengthen these brands locally.