DKSH will handle marketing, sales and distribution of Perfetti Van Melle’s candy and soft chew portfolio in all sales channels across Burma, also known as Myanmar.
EU and US lift sanctions
Leng Stricker-Wong, communications manager at DKSH, told CofectioneryNews.com: “With the easing of the sanctions, we have seen a significant increase in interest from companies wanting to enter this market."
“However, Myanmar still remains a highly complex market, with many challenges and barriers of entry for companies."
“This is the reason why partnering with a company like DKSH, with well-established local networks and relationships, makes a lot of economic and business sense."
“It limits the risk a company normally faces when entering new markets, and also results in the companies gaining market presence and market share a lot faster,” she said.
Traditional trade channels
Joerg Wolle, president and CEO of DKSH, added: “Despite the currently low disposable income levels, this emerging market with a population of more than 54 million people offers promising growth potential."
Stricker said that DKSH would look to traditional trade channels as supermarkets and modern retailers were not so well-developed.
DKSH and Dutch-Italian confectioner Perfetti Van Melle have worked together in New Zealand for ten years.
Perfetti Van Melle is the fourth leading confectioner in Asia-Pacific, according to data from Euromonitor International.