Foodstuffs producers test E-less waters

The fiercer competition in the foodstuffs industry has prompted producers to find new ways and market niches in their quest for a larger chunk of the market.

Two of the main players, Angst and Cris-Tim, have therefore discovered the charcuterie products made with little or no additives, i.e. the infamous E’s.

Angst Ro has launched four new products, branded as Fitness Natural, which are E free, contain no food colorants and have a low water and fat content, general manager Sorin Minea explains.

“We’ve been preparing the launch of these products for several months now, during which we performed a series of tests. We did not make large investments, as we primarily invested in testing,” Minea said.

The company will decide which products to keep on the market early next year, depending on sales and the response from consumers.

Cris-Tim in its turn has released a similar five-product range, branded as Bunea Haiducul, yet general manager Radu Timis says they contain a certain type of preserver, so they are not 100% E free.

“We cannot possibly exclude the E’s for good,” Timis said. “Even the Romans used preservers.”

Cris-Tim will conduct a campaign to release new brands in about two months, set to include this product range, as well.

Both Angst’s and Cris-Tim’s products cost 20% more than the rest of the products on the market and primarily target the high-income consumers.

Angst is now selling these products only through its own stores for quality control reasons.

“We will launch the products in other locations (stores i.e.), as well, but we want to carefully select them so that we could impose our standards,” Angst head said.

Cris-Tim on the other hand is selling its products through other stores besides its own.

Other players on the market feel the E-less product campaign is nothing more than a marketing tool, intended to gain some market share for the producer and possible to make a negative impact on the other companies in the industry.

“No E’s is like no fuels. People are now frightened by just any E, but there are certain stabilisers, which are absolutely necessary. I do not like this idea, it’s not OK, “sources in this industry said under conditions of anonymity.

“The idea will probably make some waves, because people here keep behaving like a herd. It will mainly be successful in the big cities, but fail when it comes to wholesale, where price is what really matters,” the same source commented.

Gheorghe Mencinicopschi, Food Chemistry Institute director in his turn said that not all E’s are dangerous and “some of them are even desirable.”

“Not every E is bad. We have to learn some more, however, before disciplining the market. It is true, the products that do not contain additives are healthier and more nourishing even though not very appealing,” Mencinicopschi said. claudia.covaci@zf.ro