In the second quarter of 2021, Salvadoran companies were positioned in the region as the main importers with $15.9 million and the supplier country was Guatemala with 37.64%.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
Panama's Ministry of Public Security bids the service of preparation and distribution of meals on site for a one-year term, for migrants who are housed in centers located in the province of Darien.
Panama Government Purchase 2021-0-18-01-05-LP-053585:
"The place of delivery of this service will be at the Migratory Reception Stations, located in the province of Darien.
Some of the innovations that the Guatemalan chain Pollo Campero has implemented in this new commercial reality include investing in the implementation of establishments that serve only home delivery service and setting up open spaces to serve more consumers.
As a result of the spread of Covid-19, restaurant chains were forced to close the table area. In this context, companies focused on mitigating their economic losses through food delivery sales..
The Ministry of Public Security tenders the supply of prepared food to provide food to police units on duty, in asylum for having tested positive to Covid-19, Police Officers School and Operational Needs for a period of 12 months.
Panama Government Purchase 2021-0-18-01-99-LP-052552:
"The execution of the service will be through partial deliveries by the institution.
The Dominican Republic's National Student Welfare Institute bids for the supply of school lunch food rations and their distribution in public schools during the 2021-2022 school term.
Dominican Republic Government Purchase INABIE-CCC-LPN-2021-0009:
"The purpose of this call is the Supply of Food Rations of the School Lunch and its Distribution in Public Educational Centers during the 2021-2022 school period, carried out by the National Institute of Student Welfare, Ministry of Education, Extended School Day Modality, aimed at Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that present kitchens installed in the National Territory.
Sushi Itto, a restaurant located in Plaza Fontabella, zone 10, in Guatemala City, captures a potential market of 430 thousand consumers within a 15-minute drive, of which 11% are interested in Japanese food.
Using the Geomarketing solutions we have developed for our clients, CentralAmericaData's Business Intelligence team analyzed the environment of some of the main locations of Asian restaurants operating in Central American countries. Below is an excerpt of the study's findings.
In the last quarter of 2020 and in January 2021, in the digital environment, interest in vegetarian food increased in Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama, in the cases of El Salvador, Honduras and Dominican Republic, declines were recorded.
Through a system that monitors in real time the changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project demand trends in the short and long term, for different products, services, sectors and markets operating in the region.
Relocating existing restaurants, strengthening the digital sales channel and identifying the areas where consumers are currently concentrated in order to choose the location of new stores are some of the strategies of the chains when executing their expansion plans.
As a result of the covid-19 outbreak, several expansion projects were affected, which must now reinvent themselves and adapt to the new commercial reality, in which consumers have different lifestyles.
In the last quarter of 2020 and in January 2021 in Panama, Honduras and El Salvador interest in fast food reported a clear rebound, contrary to the situation in Guatemala, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, markets where Internet searches decreased.
Through a system that monitors in real time changes in consumer interests and preferences in Central American countries, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long term demand trends for the different products, services, sectors and markets operating in the region.
The Ministry of Government of Panama tenders the supply, preparation and distribution of prepared food to be consumed by inmates, guards and police officers in the penitentiary centers of the provinces of Colon and Panama, for a three-year term.
Panama Government Purchase 2021-0-04-0-99-LP-012084:
"The site visits will be conducted as follows:
1. La Joya, La Joyita and La Nueva Joya Penitentiary Center, on March 2, 2021, departing from the HEADQUARTERS of the Ministry of Government at 9:00 am.
By 2021 in Costa Rica, the fast food restaurant chain Burger King plans to invest in the start-up of five new stores that will be located inside and outside the Greater Metropolitan Area.
According to information provided by the directors of the company, the new service points will be located in the surroundings of La Sabana, Alajuela, eastern sector of San José, Cartago and one outside the Greater Metropolitan Area whose location is still under study.
Betting on sales through digital channels, offering dishes at more accessible prices and carrying out promotions are some of the strategies that some casual dining restaurants that compete in the Costa Rican market seek to apply.
The spread of covid-19 severely affected the restaurant sector, especially businesses that did not sell through digital channels or did not have options to deliver their products to their homes.
AR Holdings will invest $1.5 million in the opening of The Capital Grille restaurant on Avenida Escazu.
According to information provided by the conglomerate, the restaurant is expected to open to the public by the end of the first semester of 2021 in premises that will have an area of 470 square meters.
The Ministry of the Presidency of Panama tenders the supply of meals served and the delivery of coupons for the exchange of prepared food for consumption by the staff of the Institutional Protection Service.
Panama Government Purchase 2020-0-03-0-99-LP-041459:
"An approximate of 1,966 meals served daily for 360 days, divided between breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The new location in which Friday's invested $150,000 is located in Los Yoses, east of the capital, and has the capacity to serve 180 people, but because of health restrictions it is only half full at the moment.
Previously, Friday's served its clients in San Jose in the La Bandera traffic circle, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, but, because its property was expropriated in 2019 due to the construction of a viaduct, the company was forced to close its operations in that location.