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.
Taco Bell, located on 6th Avenue in zone 9 of Guatemala City, has a potential market of 315,000 consumers 15 minutes away by car. Of this group of people, 26% are interested in fast food and 15% in Mexican food.
Using the Geomarketing solutions we have developed for our clients, CentralAmericaData's Trade Intelligence team analyzed the environment of some of the main locations of fast food restaurants operating in Central American countries. Below is an extract of the study's findings.
In Central America, nearly 13 million people search online and participate in conversations related to pizzas, with Papa John's, Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza being some of the chains with the greatest presence in consumer interactions.
An analysis of consumer interests and preferences in Central America, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, provides interesting results on people's preferences and tastes in food and all kinds of products or services, as well as restaurant chains and activities.
In Central America, it is estimated that nearly 14 million people show an interest in fast food in the digital environment. Pizza, tacos, organic food and snacks are some of the terms that have best positioned themselves in the minds of consumers with high purchasing power.
An analysis of the interests and preferences of consumers in Central America, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, shows interesting results on the preferences and tastes of people in various foods, products, services, restaurant chains and activities.
In Panama, Plaza Arraiján shopping center and its surroundings is a point that at a distance of five minutes by car monopolizes a captive market of more than 34 thousand people, and of this group of consumers, 19% show interest in pizzas.
In CentralAmericaData we developed a geomarketing tool based on interactive maps, through which you can identify where people are and what characteristics they have as consumers.
So far this year, interest in fast food in Central American markets has clearly increased, with Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica recording the largest increases in interactions associated with the topic.
Through a system that monitors real-time changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in Central American countries, developed by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project short and long-term demand trends for different products, sectors and markets operating in the region.
In Costa Rica, the Pizza Hut chain expects to invest about $1.6 million in the next few months in the opening of six new sales points outside the Greater Metropolitan Area.
Representatives of the company informed that the new premises will be located in Nicoya, Orotina, Quepos, San Rafael de Alajuela, Turrialba and San Ramón. In the case of the sales point in Nicoya, it was inaugurated last September 17.
In Panama, in the last three decades the business has been growing, which is reflected in the considerable increase in franchises, which compete for a share of the market.
The first international franchises to reach the country were Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Then others were established such as Tamburelli Pizza & Pasta, Athen´s Pizza, Ciao Bella Pizza, Pizzería Italiana and Napoles.
During the rest of the year, the Papa John's pizza restaurant chain plans to open seven new points in the Greater Metropolitan Area.
The company said in a statement that the first of the seven locations that are planned to open, is located in Barva de Heredia and began operating last August 24.
The American franchise Little Ceasar's has started operating two fast food restaurants in Managua, and plans to open five more next year.
The chain of pizzerias is arriving in Nicaragua through the company Alimentos Corporativos Coralsa, which already represents the franchise in Guatemala and El Salvador.
Pizza Hut, Pan e Vino, Papa John's and La Fabbrica opened eleven new restaurants this year.
With a $ 2.4 million investment, Pizza Hut will open six new stores and remodel another three. It also plans to open three coffee shops in their restaurants.
La Fabbrica will open its sixth outlet, located in Sabana Oeste during April. General manager, Alvaro Sauma, explained that the company will invest $ 250.000 on this new opening.
The Guatemalan Italian food chain announced expansion plans for the second half of 2011 in Honduras and El Salvador.
Francisco Fajardo, manager of the franchise said that they are in the process of analyzing the logistics of supplying ingredients either by creating a distribution center in each country or by sending them from Guatemala.
"In some restaurants we will have a joint venture and in other we will work thorough a franchise program," Waleska Zimeri, marketing manager at Al Macarone, told Prensalibre.com.
In Guatemala, Shell gas stations and Pizza Hut benefit from an informal alliance.
Pizza Hut has installed three small stores in Shell gas stations. The pizza chain benefits from the large number of visitors to the gas stations, where clients order pizza to be deliverer to their homes or to take it with them. On the other side, Shell benefits from an increased number of visitors, plus improving the perception of security of its establishments.
After the closing of nine locations in Costa Rica under Grupo Mozzarella, the parent company has already indicated that they are seeking a new partner to operate the franchise in Costa Rica.
Grupo Mozzarella operates the franchise in Honduras and Panama as well, where apparently their locations will continue functioning. However, employee lay-offs associated with the rise in the government mandated minimum wage are expected.
The franchise, which had nine restaurants, abruptly stopped its operations after accumulating $2 million in losses.
The article in Mipunto.com, citing the La Nacion daily as its source, indicated that "The closure of Domino's Pizza, which operated nine restaurants in San Jose and neighboring cities, occurred has the government of Costa Rica was adopting the "Shield Plan" to deal with the impact of the international economic crisis in a country that is very dependent on trade with the United States."