Because there are customers who demand gluten-free food, vegan food or dishes that adapt to the ketogenic diet, companies in Costa Rica can exploit new market niches.
The number of consumers who demand specialized food is rising in the Costa Rican market, so some restaurants have changed their menus to meet the demands of customers.
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 order to grow their brands, one of the bets that restaurants in Costa Rica are making is to market their products in supermarkets.
In the Costa Rican market there are companies that have taken several years to begin the process of marketing their products in supermarkets, because they must meet multiple requirements, such as health records, labeling standards, bar codes, among others.
The growing preference for freshly prepared foods meeting the demands of health-conscious consumers explains the niche market that is developing in Costa Rica.
Some of the companies which have found a niche market in the preparation of gourmet food specialized in the country, have emerged in response to the lack of time for people to cook and the need that several consumers have to meet the goals they define together with nutrition professionals.
The McDonald's chain will invest $5 million this year in launching three new restaurants, completing 70 points of sale in the country.
The company reported that one of the new restaurants is currently being built in Concepción de La Union, Cartago, but regarding the location of the other two establishments, preferred not to give details.
KFC chain will invest $3 million to open three new restaurants and $1 million to remodel other locations already operating in the country.
The company reported that the new restaurants, which will begin operations in 2019, will be located in Escazú, Limón and Heredia, and those that will be remodeled are located in downtown San José, Alajuela and in Multicentro de Desamparados.
In Costa Rica, fast food restaurant chains plan to open at least 14 new sales points in different areas of the country next year.
Some of the companies planning to expand their restaurant chain in 2019 include: Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Subway, KFC and QSR International, and their key commitment to further expansion will be to move into smaller locations.
A lack of a legal standards to regulate their use in public spaces is preventing entrepreneurs of these mobile establishments from increasing their sales.
Some of the companies that work with this gastronomic model are Bombona La Vocha Crepera, Go Fish, Appetico, Papata, Ventanita Meraki, La Cebichería, Aguizotes, Armonía and Dr. Grill among others.
The Costa Rican Sports Institute is putting out to tender a supply of food for the final stage of the Icoder 2018 national sports games.
Costa Rica Government Purchase 2018LN-000001-0011400001:
"The canteens are grouped into 6 lines or recruitment items by geographical area, with the aim of facilitating logistics, distribution and resource needs during the sporting event.The amounts can vary between dining rooms but adjust to the total amount of the line, that is to say, transfers of dishes between the same line are allowed.
Mayca food service company plans to invest $10 million over the next 2 years in the construction of seven new points of sale in Costa Rica.
Following last week's opening of branch number 13 in San Ramón, representatives of the company announced that they will be investing in the construction and operation of seven other stores in 2018 and 2019, which will bring the total number of points of sale to 20.Mayca is owned by Sysco Corporation, whichcompleted the acquisition process in November of last year.
In the first semester of 2017, Central American countries imported $17 million worth of sauces and their preparations from Mexico, 11% less than in the same period in 2016.
Figures from the information system on the Central American Market for Sauces and Ingredients for their Preparations, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
In 2016 countries in the region bought $103 million worth of soups and their preparations, and 44% of the total came from the USA and Mexico.
Figures from the Information System on the Market for Soups and Preparations in CentralAmerica compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graphic"]
The FDA now requires calorie information to be included on menus of restaurants, chain, similar retail food establishments and vending machines with 20 or more locations.
From a statement issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) US:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States has finalized two regulations requiring the inclusion of calorie information on menus and menu boards in chain restaurants, similar retail food establishments and vending machines with 20 or more locations, in order to offer consumers greater nutritional information on food eaten outside of the home. The regulations are a requirement of the law on Affordable Health Care and Patient Protection 2010.
The supply of ready made meals in supermarkets and convenience stores is growing at the same rate as consumer demand.
"Current labor demands, stress, the global crisis, security and the limited time available are some of the causes of these changes," said Christian Morales, commercial manager of Grupo Gessa (a conglomerate operating the supermarkets , Perimercados, Jumbo, Super Compro, Turribásicos and Saretto).