‘We started supplying breadcrumbs to the Arab countries last summer. Our customers are the largest producers of coated products in the region, including breaded meat, fish, vegetables and dairy products. At the beginning, they were a little more careful with their orders. Now, however, we are seeing a growing trend in orders, which means that we are meeting the needs of these countries. Since last summer, we have exported more than 200 tonnes of breadcrumbs to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and are currently recording a significant increase in demand. Orders from customers from these countries already exceed 100 tonnes per month’, says Ignas Gucevičius, Head of Instant Food Business at ‘KG Group’.
He reveals, that it is extremely difficult for a foreign producer to enter the Arab market. ‘The coordination of product introduction with customers went on for almost a year. We carefully studied the needs of that market and worked on the development of new products, refining and ensuring quality parameters, and the development of production technologies’, says Ignas Gucevičius. He highlights the fact that Arab countries have very high demands when it comes to quality. ‘After each delivery of products, a qualitative assessment is performed. Quality must be guaranteed every time, with every batch. When supplying our products to any market, we also set high-quality standards for ourselves. We manage each production process “from the field to the table”: we buy grain from Lithuanian farmers, grind flour in our own mill, and make breadcrumbs. This way we can guarantee traceability at every step, as well as quality. It is for this “process chain” that we have been praised by the Arab countries, which distinguish it as a great advantage and exclusivity. The fact that we have been allowed to enter their market is also a real acknowledgement of our quality’, says a representative of ‘KG Group’.
Investment in modernisation
In order to meet the needs of new customers, ‘KG Group’ has invested in the modernisation of production equipment and technology at its dedicated factory near the Lithuanian city of Kaunas, in which they make breadcrumbs and coating systems. During 2019 and 2020, the company invested around €318,000 in the renewal of its technological equipment. ‘We have invested in automation and modernisation to expand our production capacity. We are talking not only about increasing tonnage but also about developing the diversity of our products. We are committed to following global trends, a fact that is reflected in these recent upgrades’, remarked Ignas Gucevičius, Head of Food Business at ‘KG Group’.
Currently, KG Group's coating systems product range consists of about 90 different products including pre-dusts, adhesion betters, functional batters, tempura batters, blended breaders and breadcrumbs mixes. The range is constantly being expanded with new and innovative products.
Pursuit of exceptional colour and crispness
Colour and crispness - Vilija Janušauskienė, Head of New Product Development at ‘KG Group’ - highlights these as main trends in the production of breadcrumbs and coating systems. ‘We heard this initial need when we started working on product development for customers from Arab countries. In terms of colours, we currently produce white, yellow and orange breadcrumbs for this market. However, such a trend is prevalent not only in these countries but also in the world as a whole. The aim is to obtain the unique colours of frozen products with the help of top coating. Taking into account this demand, we are constantly experimenting, using various extracts, spices, herbs, applying different production and technological parameters – this is how we look for exceptional colours’, says Vilija Janušauskienė and shares the subtleties of product development.
‘KG Group’ currently produces a range of white, yellow and orange colours from pale to bright. However, we always communicate with each customer and individually look for opportunities to expand what they can add to their “shopping cart”, as well as offer what they are looking for and what is relevant to their market’.
As Janušauskienė notes, their experiments always focus on the search for perfect crispness. Innovation, creativity and experience all work in harmony at ‘KG Group’. Various flakes, starches and other market innovations are tested by our R&D team. ‘Our goal is for the crust of the final product to be crispy and to melt in the mouth’, says a representative of ‘KG Group’.
Creating new flavours
On the subject of taste trends, Janušauskienė observes that spicy flavours have been predominant for several years now. ‘We are currently working on the development of spicy coating systems for Arab countries. Each country treats that spiciness differently. Some want their products to be burning hot, whilst others prefer their food only slightly spicy. We talk directly to our customers, providing them with samples that they can test in their production. After making the final product ourselves, we taste and evaluate how all ingredients work together and balance them with the overall flavour. In any case, it certainly is very individual and we have to adapt to each market’, says the Head of New Product Development at ‘KG Group’.
As she points out, the work does not end with the development of a new product. ‘The size of the breadcrumbs, their “stickiness”, smoothness and other parameters also differ. Again, we coordinate every detail with each customer, as the production of the final product, for example, chicken nuggets, also depends on it. So, production technology is extremely important. Often, we analyse what equipment our customers use and how their products are produced, looking for the perfect way to create breadcrumbs and coating systems, which, after evaluating the production base of the customer, are technologically “adapted” for the final product. We then present our assessment of how we believe the final product should be produced in order to ensure the expected quality and result’, says a representative of ‘KG Group’, Vilija Janušauskienė.
Exploring new markets
Regarding future product plans of ‘KG Group’, Ignas Gucevičius, Head of Instant Food Business at ‘KG Group’, says that this year the company is on course to enter the Hungarian market, and the demand is also being felt from Jordan, Pakistan, and Belarus. The development of product ranges within existing parallel markets is also taking place, and Vilija Janušauskienė even reveals, that they are currently expanding the possible ‘shopping cart’ and creating new products for the Scandinavian markets.
‘KG Group’ exports as much as eighty per cent of its coating systems, including breadcrumbs. As much as ninety per cent of these are sold to customers who produce frozen products.
Leave the interpreting to us! Translated by Pasaulio spalvos
