MARKET TRENDS
SUVs: Interest and Consumers in the regionFriday, February 26, 2021 At the beginning of 2021 in Costa Rica and El Salvador, interest in this type of vehicle reported a clear rebound, in contrast to the situation registered in Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic, markets in which Internet searches decreased. 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 short and long term demand trends for the different products, services, sectors and markets operating in the region. Fast Food: Expansion Plans RedesignedFriday, February 26, 2021 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. Cloud Services: New Service CenterFriday, February 26, 2021 Amazon Web Services announced that it will open an office in San Jose, Costa Rica, dedicated to supporting the cloud computing adoption process for organizations of all sizes, from startups to some of the oldest and most established companies. The new office will establish a local group of account executives, solution architects, partner managers, support staff and other functions for customers to engage directly with Amazon Web Services (AWS) in their local environment and language, reported the Costa Rican Coalition of Development Initiatives (Cinde). Gas Plant to Start Operations in July 2022Friday, February 26, 2021 In El Salvador, the initial plan was that the new Energia del Pacifico power plant would begin operations in early 2022; however, it is currently projected to begin operations until July 1 of next year. The project located in the Acajutla port area, which will have an installed capacity of 378 megawatts and began construction in 2015, will be delayed a few months.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Tender for Book Printing in GuatemalaFriday, February 26, 2021 Ministry of Education tenders textbooks for pre-primary and primary school students and methodological guides for teachers, for use in the 2022 school year. Guatemala Government Purchase 13918680: FTA with South Korea Soon to Take EffectFriday, February 26, 2021 As of March 1st, the Free Trade Agreement signed between the Republic of South Korea and Central American countries will become effective. After several years of negotiations, the trade agreement between the countries of the region and the Asian nation will finally come into force next Monday.
MARKET TRENDS
Liquors: Wine Gaining Market Share in Central AmericaThursday, February 25, 2021 Interest in wines has been on the rise in the digital environment in the last quarter of 2020 and in January 2021, an upturn that is explained by the behavior of consumers in all markets in the region. Through a system that monitors in real time the changes in the interests and preferences of consumers in the countries of Central America, developed by CentralAmericaData, it is possible to project demand trends in the short and long term, for the different products, services, sectors and markets operating in the region. Audiences, Advertising and the New NormalThursday, February 25, 2021 Given the new business context in which print media have been hit in recent years by changes in habits and audiences are on multiple channels and digital platforms, marketing and advertising teams must reinvent themselves. The most recent changes in lifestyle habits resulting from the spread of covid-19 have combined with the increased use of digital platforms, a phenomenon that was already evident before the pandemic. Covid-19: Survey of Damage in Costa RicaThursday, February 25, 2021 Given the economic crisis generated by the covid-19 outbreak, nine out of ten companies operating locally reduced their revenues and one out of three made temporary closures. Between May and August 2020, a COVID-19 section was included in the Directory of Businesses and Establishments (DEE) as part of the update, in order for businesses to indicate what the main effects of the pandemic were. It was confirmed that 94% were affected by Covid-19, where 91% indicated as main consequence the reduction of income, informed the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). Ice Cream: Promising Business in GuatemalaThursday, February 25, 2021 Between 2019 and 2020, it is estimated that ice cream sales in the country increased by 6%, with supermarkets, discount stores and convenience stores being the main marketing points, as 7 out of every 10 units are sold in these establishments. In recent years, ice cream consumption in the Guatemalan market has increased considerably, since between 2019 and 2020 sales increased by $8 million, going from $128 million to $136 million, according to Euromonitor estimates. Labor Market: Bill Receives EndorsementThursday, February 25, 2021 On third debate, Panama approved the legislative bill that aims at gradually reintegrating employees to their companies, which have already restarted their activities and which in 2020 suspended labor contracts due to the crisis caused by the covid-19 outbreak. The National Assembly approved on February 24 bill No.542, submitted by the Ministry of Labor and Labor Development (Mitradel), which allows the gradual reinstatement of workers with suspended contracts, recognizes the payment of maternity leaves to workers with suspended contracts, the return of disabled people and establishes temporary measures to preserve employment and stability of the companies, details an official statement.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Tender for Bulletproof Vests in El SalvadorThursday, February 25, 2021 The Ministry of National Defense tenders the supply of 956 bulletproof vests for personal protection, to be used by Army and Air Force personnel. El Salvador Government Purchase DR-CAFTA LA/032/2021/MDN:
CONSUMER STUDY
Supermarkets: Which Countries Are Back to "Normal"?Wednesday, February 24, 2021 At the end of January 2021, Nicaragua and El Salvador were the only two countries in the region where the number of people visiting establishments identified as supermarkets was similar to the figures reported before the pandemic. As the months have gone by and in the context of the reactivation of commercial activities, more Central American consumers have visited locations identified as supermarkets and pharmacies. ZLC will Hold Virtual Trade FairWednesday, February 24, 2021 From March 1 to 5, 2021, the Colon Free Zone will hold its first multisector virtual trade fair, in which 200 exhibitors will participate and participants will be able to access product catalogs and receive direct attention from suppliers. The trade fair will feature a wide variety of mass consumption products, regional distribution logistics services and value-added products, informed the Colon Free Zone (CFZ). Honduras: $150 Million for HousingWednesday, February 24, 2021 The Central American Bank for Economic Integration approved a line of credit for the Honduran government to finance the Resilient Housing Reconstruction Program in the country. The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) informed that it is estimated that approximately 29,500 vulnerable families in the departments of Cortés, Atlántida, Yoro and Santa Bárbara will benefit from the rehabilitation, reconstruction or construction of new housing. |
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