Brazil Central Bank Seen Holding Rates, Eyeing Global Banking Crisis

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A more dovish tone from the central bank may ease intense public pressure to cut rates from the government

Brazil’s central bank is expected to hold interest rates steady at a fifth straight policy meeting on Wednesday, but all eyes are on how it describes the evolving balance of inflation risks amid a global banking crisis.

All 30 economists surveyed by Reuters forecast the benchmark Selic rate to remain at a six-year high of 13.75%. Several expect the bank to cite challenges to the global economy, which may open room for rate cuts to start earlier than previously thought.

The evolving balance of risks could open the door for the Copom rate-setting committee to make a cut as soon as June, said Jose Francisco Goncalves, chief economist at Banco Fator.

A more dovish tone from the central bank may ease intense public pressure to cut rates from the government of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, although few expect his harsh rhetoric to disappear until rates start dropping.

He has repeatedly called for lower borrowing costs, describing the current Selic rate “irresponsible” on Tuesday.

Lula also put off a proposal for new fiscal rules to keep a lid on public debt levels – one of several upward inflation risks flagged by the central bank at recent policy meetings.

While annual inflation rates cooled in recent months, inflation expectations worsened since the bank’s February policy meeting.

On the other hand, high-profile bank closures in the U.S. and the Credit Suisse rescue have raised concerns about the risk of a more severe crisis in the global financial system.

Investors are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve on Wednesday to see if it will keep raising interest rates.

“The data since the last Copom were bad for the inflationary dynamics, but uncertainty has increased,” said XP chief economist Caio Megale in a note to clients.

Although he predicts stable interest rates through year-end, Megale said he now sees a chance of rate cuts starting sooner.

The median forecast among economists in a weekly central bank survey showed monetary easing kicking off in November, with the Selic ending the year at 12.75%.

That outlook has remained unchanged since policymakers signaled they were considering holding rates higher for longer than market expectations due to fiscal risks, although the yield curve already points to a first cut in June.

On fiscal policy, which the central bank has flagged as a key inflation risk, Brazil’s government chose to partially resume taxes on fuels, helping to ease a budget deficit. But Lula has put off announcements about new fiscal rules until he returns from a trip to China next week.

Investors are anxiously awaiting a new fiscal framework in Brazil after Lula got congressional approval for a major spending package bypassing a constitutional spending cap to meet campaign promises. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

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Swiss Cuban Cigars Reviews Habanos SA and it’s Fascinating History

Swiss Cuban Cigars, is one of the biggest sellers of Cuban cigars online.

Buying Cuban cigars online can result in customers coming across sites selling fake Cuban cigars, which is not only illegal but extremely disappointing for cigar lovers.

The customer service team at Swiss Cuban Cigars prides itself on only selling authentic Cuban cigars.

And, as well as all of the services you’d expect, such as fast worldwide shipping, easy and secure payments, fast delivery and advice from the experienced customer service team, the company sells only very high quality authentic Cubans.

Information about Cuban cigars online

Anyone who is searching for the best Cuban cigars online should check out Swiss Cuban Cigars for all the information they need.

All the cigars sold by Swiss Cuban Cigars are, of course, the real thing. But more than that, Swiss Cuban Cigars reviews different brands on a regular basis.

Everything from the smoking experience to how many gold medals the brand has won are
covered, ensuring the largest selection of truly quality products available online.

Dodging fake Cuban cigars when buying online

The in depth knowledge of the team contributes to the great service overall, and ensures buyers avoid fake Cuban cigars.

Fake cigars continue to be a problem across the market for Cuban cigars, and there are a number of ways that buyers can check their product to avoid being stuck with ‘premium cigars’ that are anything but.

For example, cigar brands that display labels inside the box rather than on the product or box, then the retailer is trying to sell fakes.

Always look for the original sealed box when you buy Cuban cigars, particularly extremely popular brands on sale at a suspiciously great price.

From the first purchase at Swiss Cuban Cigars, the customer can rest assured that whether they buy a thousand boxes or stick to a few limited editions, every Cuban cigar will come with the appropriate green seal and exact boxes.

Swiss Cuban Cigars reviews Habanos SA

When it comes to seeking out the best Cuban cigars, customers need more than great customer service (although this, along with easy and secure payments is certainly important!).

Great service and great cigars should come along with all of the expertise and expert knowledge offered by Swiss Cuban Cigars. Understanding the market, different brands, the danger of counterfeit cigars and how to avoid fake products should be part of the service.

This is why Swiss Cuban representatives often write reviews of different brands, from Romeo y Julieta to the official Habanos manufacturing company in Cuba.

The history and development of Habanos SA

Habanos SA is Cuba’s tobacco manufacturing company that controls the distribution, production and export of premium cigars around the world. The Cuban cigar manufacturer launched in 1994 and is partly owned by the state.

The ownership of the company is split between the Cuban state owned Cubatabaco and until 2019 Imperial Tobacco.

Global sales of authentic products from Habanos include Romeo y Julieta, Cohiba and Montercristo brands among many others.

What makes a cigar a Habanos?

The Cuba based company owns the trade marks of every quality Cuban cigar brand in the
nations they export to.

‘Habanos’ itself translates as ‘something from Havana’, which is why it has become the byword for cigars from Cuba, as well as cigars in general for some people.

Buying cigars is rife with fakes and counterfeit cigars, so the company keeps a tight control of which companies it exports to in other countries.

For example, the only place that Habanos exports to in Germany is 5th Avenue Cigars. For the UK and Gibraltar it exports to a company called Hunters & Frankau, for Swizterland it’s Intertabak.

The US trade embargo and Cuban businesses

The only country that Habanos does not sell quality products to is the United States. This is because of the US trade embargo against Cuba, which has been in place since 1962.

Today, this embargo is facilitated through various Acts, including the Trading With the Enemy Act of 1917, the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act, the 1963 Cuban Assets Control Regulations, the 1992 Cuban Democracy Act, the 1996 Helms-Burton Act and the 2000 Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act.

Recent acquisitions and developments

It wasn’t until 2000 that Habanos split into two separately owned sections, when Altadis
bought 50% of the company. Since then, the largest selection of brands on offer has been restructured and updated.

In some ways, it appears that Habanos has adopted the marketing and selling practices of US-based companies since the acquisition in 2000.

This includes expanding the biggest range of ‘special release’ and limited edition cigar brands.

These are marketed for a special occasion and on the quality of the cigar, including its flavour profile and how much customers enjoy the smoke.

Habanos are better quality than ever before

There has been a corresponding uptick in quality for Cuban cigars, which many believe dropped during the 1990s in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union.

In 2008, Imperial Tobacco acquired Altadis and by May 2019 had announced its plan to sell the Cuba based Habanos SA for more than £1 billion to Gemstone Investment Holding Ltd and Allied Cigar Corp.

Habanos cigars are hand rolled using traditional manufacturing methods

Let’s go back much further to the discovery of tobacco itself.

It was in Cuba that the Christopher Columbus-led expedition first came across tobacco being smoked by the Taino Indians, wo called it ‘Cohiba’.

Since then, tobacco has been traded and grown all around the world. It’s generally accepted that the finest tobacco in the world is grown in Cuba, thanks to the specific growing conditions in certain regions.

Cuban tobacco is so perfect for special occasions thanks to its quality of smoke and flavour. And this is because of four factors that are only found in one area – the climate, the soil, the varieties of black tobacco seed and the special know-how of Cuban growers and farmers.

How to get DOP status

Habanos as a term isn’t a distinction given to every cigar.

The term is the Protected Denomination of Origin (Denominacion de Origen Protegida –
DOP) that only goes to a the most outstanding cigar brands and those that are manufactured and processed to the highest standards.

A distinction of Habanos cigars is that they are all hand-rolled (totalmente a man) and never made by machine.

Traditional manufacturing and rolling techniques

This tradition goes back more than 200 years and the specific technique is pretty much the same now as it was then.

The amount of work that goes into growing tobacco and manufacturing Habanos is truly impressive with more than 500 tasks along the way.

These excellent services are why every cigar ends up being suitable for any special occasion, whether as a wedding gift or for an expert in Habanos.

An authentic smoke in every box

If you’re new to the cigar world and have been wondering how to be totally sure your chosen box is authentic, you may find the following information useful.

Swiss Cuban also recommend finding and reading positive reviews on each cigar too. these will go into the quality of flavoured cigars and point you towards full flavoured cigars or lighter options, depending on your preferences.

Always check for the warranty seal

But to buy an authentic Habanos cigar, you should check the green seal of warranty. Every box will have a hologram on the right and a bar code on the left.

Furthermore, the label itself will always be displayed on the upper left side of the container and will leave between three and six mm around the edge.

Habanos are all authenticated at source

Habanos has developed this seal using synthetic paper that incorporates various anti-tamper elements.

Any attempt to remove or change the label will cause the seal to be automatically invalidated. And, whether you buy your Habanos from Swiss Cuban Cigars or other websites, you can enter the barcode into the habanos.com website to check the authenticity.

How to choose the right Habanos brand for you

The exact brand of Cuban cigar that suits you will depend on why you’re buying it and where it will be smoked.

For example, looking for a suitable gift for special occasions is different from finding a flavour profile for you specifically.

Swiss Cuban Cigars can help you find the ideal cigars for your needs

Swiss Cuban Cigars may be based in Gran Canaria but it uses world class experience to ensure customers find exactly what they want.

Excellent service along with fast shipping, a large selection of Cubans and guarantees of authenticity go a long way to making the buying experience as simple as possible.

Which brands are managed by Habanos?

There are 27 brands managed and sold by Habanos, which includes everything from formats, flavours, brand positioning, where they’re sold and the characteristics of each.

These 27 Habanos are protected by the DOP as explained earlier.

The brands are:

  • Cohiba
  • Montecristo
  • Romeo y julieta
  • Partagas louisitanas
  • Hoyo de Monterrey
  • H Upmann
  • Jose L Piedra
  • Cuaba
  • San Cristobal de La Habana
  • Trinidad
  • Bolivar
  • Fonseca
  • Punch
  • Quintero
  • Vegas Robaina
  • Diplomaticos
  • El Rey del Mundo
  • Juan Lopez
  • La Flor de Cano
  • La Gloria Cubana
  • Por Larranaga
  • Quai d’Orsay
  • Rafael Gonzalez
  • Ramon Allones
  • Saint Luis Rey
  • Sancho Panza
  • Vegueros

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Pedro Salles, a Top Agribusiness Executive, Joins Agro.Club in Brazil to Lead Growth and Development in the Country

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Since entering Brazil last year, Agro.Club has been experiencing strong adoption of its B2B marketplace with a growing number of farmers, grain companies, and transactions. With a deep understanding of the Brazilian grain trade, Pedro Salles joins Agro.Club Brazil as its Chief Executive Officer. His appointment will drive the business to the next market expansion phase. Agro.Club’s marketplace fills a large gap in the digitalization of the grain trade by making it more efficient, risk-free, and transparent for all participants.

Pedro Salles has over 15 years of executive experience in agricultural commodities trading. Through his years of leadership at Gavilon and Agribrasil, he played a key role in building and managing the trading businesses for these successful companies.

Mr. Salles joins the Agro.Club Brazil team of agriculture professionals and will oversee all strategic and operational aspects of the company’s business to establish it as a major and value-added player in the local market.

“I am confident that my experience in agriculture commodity trading in Brazil and internationally will accelerate the company’s success both locally and globally. I am inspired by the way Agro.Club is integrating digital technologies into a complicated grain trade process,” says the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer.

Agro.Club’s Full-Stack B2B Grain Marketplace aims to add more value and convenience to all the participants. Its algorithms analyze thousands of offers in search of the best supply-demand match. Quality control, logistics, and financing are also carried out by the company, making grain deals secure and hassle-free for the farmers and grain companies.

“I am thrilled that Pedro Salles decided to lead Agro.Club Brazil and put all his efforts and expertise into the development of our grain trading marketplace,” says Egor Kirin, CEO of Agro.Club. “Pedro is one of the most successful executives in the ag-commodities space, with a comprehensive perspective and understanding of LATAM markets. With him on board, we will be able to expand our global grain marketplace faster and fulfill our mission of making the global food supply more secure and sustainable. The platform has already found its market fit with over 40,000 farmers and grain companies worldwide, of which over 5,000 are from Brazil.”

Agro.Club is a US-based AgTech company now present in three of the largest agricultural hubs. It runs a full-stack global grain marketplace, enabling its users to trade grain worldwide. The company has over 200 employees globally and a top-tier executive team with global agricultural, digital, and fintech expertise. Agro.Club raised capital from marquee international investors such as Rabo Frontier Ventures (Rabobank), Speedinvest, VentureFriends, and Elevator Ventures (Raiffeisen Bank).

Follow Agro.Club on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/agro-club/

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Self Storage Rental Service Company of the Year – South America

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Self storage is such an important feature of economies the world over, but providing a premier service is no mean feat. The team at Aki KB Minibodegas have led the way in this regard, with their efforts pushing the boundaries of what it means to service communities throughout Chile and Costa Rica. With success in the Latin and South America Business Awards 2022, we take a closer look to find out more.

Now established as market leaders in Chile, the team behind Aki KB Minibodegas have found time to reflect on some of the decisions that have led to their incredible success. Over the years, the business has grown from humble origins to an organisations with 16 facilities in Chile and one expansion into Costa Rica. Such growth is no mean feat, and reflects the incredible efforts of staff in every part of the business.

The driving force that sets the team apart is their determination to provide a truly stunning customer experience. People are always first in this team’s mind, and finding ways to assist them and serve them as effectively as possible. Hiring a staff who share this passion for supporting others is vital to the continued success of Aki KB Minibodegas, and is why any new hires are made only if they are aligned to the firm’s organisational culture.

The team operate in a manner which is effortlessly dynamic, proactively exploring new and exciting ways of working. Challenges may arise, but the team meet them with the greatest possible determination. As the business has managed to thrive, everyone involved has committed themselves to growing new facilities and to exploring the potential of new market opportunities.

The team has had to overcome many difficulties, despite their growth. Primary amongst these is the increase in costs when it comes to construction. New properties are difficult to create at accessible prices, which makes achieving an effective company return difficult. Considerations of environmental impacts also bring their own challenges to construction, but many of these challenges have been overcome by the tireless efforts of the Aki KB Minibodegas team.

Working for Aki KB Minibodegas has seen the business adopt an approach which is modern in every respect, but clearest amongst these is the way in which the business has managed to expand over the years. Looking forward, the firm’s leadership is exploring new ways of developing new projects, of acquiring new properties and of making the operation of the firm more efficient.

The future looks bright for this incredible firm, as the team step boldly forward into a brave new world. Their attitude has brought them astonishing levels of success as they have reinvented how many see the world of self-storage. For many in South America, Aki KB Minibodegas is synonymous with how to achieve something great. We cannot wait to see what they do next!

For business enquiries, contact Alan Stehberg from Aki KB Minibodegas via email – [email protected] or on their website – www.akikb.cl

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22% of Costa Rica’s ICT Business Park Offers Technologies Linked to the Fourth Industrial Revolution

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  • Technology 4.0 exports exceeded $11.4 million in 2021. 
  • Nearly 8 out of 10 of these companies are exporters. 

 

Companies linked to the Fourth Industrial Revolution made up at least 22% of the total ICT business park in Costa Rica in 2021 (estimated at 450 companies), according to findings from the study Profile of the Costa Rican supply specialized in 4.0 technologies (II Edition, 2021), prepared by the Foreign Trade Promoter of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).

This is the second edition of the study conducted by the Promoter, the first of which was conducted in 2019.

Marta Esquivel, director of business planning and intelligence at PROCOMER, explained that the services offered by these companies are mainly: cloud computing (20% of the companies), industry 4.0 integration (19%), the internet of things (13%), robotic process automation (10%) and big data(9%), among a total of 10 technological categories.

“By the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we mean the interaction between digital technologies, cyber-physical systems, and cloud networks, for example. The world is undergoing a dizzying transformation that is radically changing the way we produce, consume, market, and work. A process of change to which numerous companies have been added at the national level,” stated Esquivel.

She added that, among the main technologies offered by this group of companies, it is industry 4.0 integration that recorded the greatest expansion between 2019 and 2021, going from 2% to 19% in the total number of companies in the sector that specialize in it.

In 2021, the sector was characterized by a greater number of small companies (54%) and micro companies (32%), that is, between 1 and 30 employees. Among the companies surveyed for this study, the sector registered 1,090 direct jobs, an increase of 120 positions compared to 2019, with companies specialized in cloud computing reporting the largest number of jobs.

Erick Apuy, economic analyst in charge of the study, explained that “these sized companies, measured in terms of employees, allow the sector to have some flexibility to develop their operations, not to mention that some of their services may have an experimental or exploratory aspect to them with high added value,” said Apuy.

 

Export experience 

78% of these companies recorded exports, and in 2021, an estimated at least $11.4 million in international sales: Colombia (43% of exporters), Mexico (42%), the United States (40%), Panama (38%), and Guatemala (36%) the main destinations for the commercialization of 4.0 technologies.

In addition, Apuy stated that the local market is still the main consumer of 4.0 technologies for this sector, representing 63% of total sales in 2021 (close to $19.5 million), and this participation increased compared to 2019 when it recorded participation of 56%.

“This may show a greater openness on the part of local demand for digital transformation integration processes. Additionally, as demonstrated, there is still room to develop more local chains, more sales, and a closer relationship between the two parties,” the analyst concluded.

 

Technology, health care, and the pandemic

The PROCOMER study shows that, between 2019 and 2021, a majority of the sector (78%) developed or prepared technological solutions in response to the needs raised by the pandemic, for example, solutions such as remote working, product traceability, digital payment systems, and others, such as applications for the health care sector.

Regarding this last area, Apuy points out that, in 2021, the sector showed customer growth in health care, medical devices, and the pharmaceutical industry, which reflects signs of the sector’s ability to adapt and explore new value-added opportunities derived from the market post-pandemic.

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Galaxy and Itaú Asset Management Partner to Launch Crypto ETFs in Brazil

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Partnership commences with BTC ETF with plans to expand into other diversified strategies

Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd, a financial services and investment management innovator in the digital asset, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology sectors, and Itaú Asset Management (“Itaú Asset”) the largest private asset manager in Latin America, announced a strategic partnership to develop a comprehensive suite of Brazilian-listed, physically backed, digital asset exchange-traded funds.

The first ETF of this new partnership, the IT Now Bloomberg Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (BITI11), will start trading at the market’s open on November 10, 2022, on the B3 Stock Exchange as part of Itaú Asset’s broader ETF suite, the IT Now Series. The initial product will offer investors exposure to Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Galaxy and Itaú Asset aim to expand the suite over time to include other diversified strategies in the digital asset space.

“We are thrilled to partner with Itaú Asset to bring institutional grade crypto ETF products to the Brazilian market,” said Steve Kurz, Global Head of Asset Management at Galaxy. “Our shared mission is to satisfy the strong demand in the region for high-quality education and access to the growing crypto economy.”

“We aim to offer the best solutions to our clients to meet their investment needs in a diversified way and with an international scope,” said Renato Eid Tucci, Head of Beta Strategy and ESG Integration at Itaú Asset. “This partnership combines the solidity and credibility that we have built over more than 60 years at Itaú Asset with the strength and expertise of Galaxy as one of the most experienced players in the global digital asset space.”

Galaxy is a premier provider of investment and financial services for institutions looking to access the digital asset space. The Company’s asset-management arm manages $2.04 billion as of October 31, 2022, across passive, active, and venture strategies.

Itaú Asset is Itaú Unibanco’s investment fund management company. Founded in 1957, it has been operating for over 60 years and is currently Latin America’s largest private asset manager with approximately $165 billion in AUM. Approximately 300 professionals work in offices across São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, New York, and Santiago, Chile. Among the firm’s institutional strengths are its diversified investment strategies, built on the firm’s deep research capabilities and sophisticated analysis.

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BTG Pactual and BRK Announce the First Blue Debenture Issuance of the Private Sector in Brazil

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BTG Pactual, the largest investment bank in Latin America, acted as lead coordinator and project finance advisor on the first blue debenture issuance in Brazil, in the private sector of Latin America, and the first to market in the sanitation segment globally. The R$ 1.95 billion offer with a 20-year term, was issued by BRK Ambiental Região Metropolitana de Maceió S.A and will benefit more than 1.5 million people who live in and around the city of Maceió. The project was developed by BRK Ambiental, one of Brazil’s largest private sanitation companies.

Blue bonds are debt securities issued specifically for funding projects with environmental benefits linked to preserving water resources. In this case, the funds will be used for paying the required grant for universalizing sanitation services in Maceió’s metropolitan region. “This issuance is the result of the sanitation market’s maturation in the last two years, which has provided greater legal certainty to operators, such as BRK, who are committed to universalizing services in Brazil“, says BRK Ambiental CFO, Felipe Cunha.

“At BTG Pactual, we have carried out consistent and pioneering activities in the capital market within the ESG scope. We are proud to take another step in this agenda, and to be the first lead coordinator bank of a blue bond transaction for the private sector in Brazil, stimulating the maturation of the domestic market by arousing investors’ appetite for allocations like this one”, says Patrícia Genelhú, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at BTG Pactual.

The final orderbook demand was over R$ 3bn (1,6x oversubscription) and was composed of very high-quality institutional and retail investors.

“Morningstar Sustainalytics has reviewed BRK’s Blue Bond Framework, and believes it is credible, impactful and aligns with international market principles and standards,” said Sophia Velissaratou, Director of Sustainalytics’ Corporate Solutions.  “The bond structure highlights BRK’s intent to follow Global Guidance on Blue Bonds, and the use of proceeds have the potential to improve access to clean water and sanitation”. 

“By increasing sanitation and waste water treatment, this Blue Bond aims to reduce water and ocean pollution as well as improve the sanitary conditions in the communities of Maceio. BRK’s Blue Bond highlights important action in line with the UN Global Compact’s Sustainable Ocean Principles”, said Suzanne Johnson, Senior Advisor, UN Global Compact, Ocean Stewardship Coalition.

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Citrosuco Launches Unit for Natural Ingredients Production for Different Industries

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Evera has already started out with an estimated billing of USD 150 million and will expand the access to the market of clean label products that represent more than USD 100 billion globally and has the perspective of growth.

The Brazilian company Citrosuco, one of the largest orange juice producers around the world, responsible for 20% of the global product supply, just announced the launching of Evera, its new business unit that will produce natural ingredients for different industries through the means of reuse technology of waste of the orange such as husks, peels, leaves, flowers, and seeds.

The numbers and the potential for growth from the new business are astounding. Per year, Brazil produces around 13 million tons of oranges, which is the equivalent of 320 million boxes from this total, only 50% become juice, and the other half normally is used in products of low value added such as in the composition of cattle feed, among others. The utilization of technology in order to identify new possibilities of use promises to be cutting-edge in this industry.

For eight years the company has been performing research about alternatives in order to increase the value added by the “other half” of the orange, and during the last two and half years the results started to bear fruit and pointed to a future that now begins to become real. It was necessary to separate the operations so that more attention and focus could be given to the new brand. The investment is around US$ 9 million for research and product development and initial production installation, besides the establishment of partnerships with Brazilian and foreign entities and universities, such as startups from Israel and Silicon Valley (USA) and, especially, with the Dutch Wageningen University, a global reference in agritech and foodtech, and its innovation arm, StartLife.

It isn’t coincidence that the institution is located in a region known as Food Valley.

The new unit is born with a portfolio of 18 products for more than 90 applications, including plant-based foods such as ketchup, mayonnaise, chocolate syrup, various smoothies and even vegan hamburgers, where Evera inputs can be used in the formulation. In this first moment, the focus of production will be to supply the food and beverage industry.

According to John Lin, Chief Business Officer at Evera, market research has shown that consumers are looking more and more for clean label products. “Through the use of our whole production, we will offer healthier foods, produced through sustainable processes. Nowadays we have a range of natural ingredients that can be utilized in the food and beverage market, improving the healthiness and the nutritional value of the end products” he confirms. Yet according to the executive, the appetite for new inputs will depend on the market, but Evera is already able to deliver around 3 to 5 thousand metric tons of the new products in the first year of operation.

Evera carries all sustainable actions already undertaken by its mother company, Citrosuco in its DNA, which maintains a set of ESG actions to deliver its commitment for 2030 in six topics: water, sustainable value, biodiversity, carbon footprint, diversity, and social management.

Among the examples of Citrosuco’s sustainable practices is the certificate from the (SAI Platform) for all its farms. Sustainable Agricultural Initiative was started by the global industry to help food and beverage companies to purchase agricultural raw materials cultivated in a sustainable way and to reach a sustainable production. Besides that, 65% of the energy used by the company comes from renewable sources.

Check Evera’s website and Linkedin page.

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Encora Ranked Second in 2022 Great Place to Work® Brazil

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Employees Recognized Mental Health Programs, Leadership Development, and a Differentiated Benefits Package as Key Factors in Making Encora Brazil a Top Workplace

Encora, a global next-gen product engineering provider, today announced its offices in Brazil have been named a top workplace by Great Place to Work® (GPTW™) Brazil in the average-sized multinational companies category. Encora was ranked second among 35 contenders in the category. The Brazil ranking comes in shortly after the São Paulo interior ranking, in which Encora reached second place running with 50 other competitors.

“The results of this year’s GPTW™ Brazil are a true honor,” said Augusto Cavalcanti, President  Americas, Brazil Division, Encora. “We won second place in the Best Companies to Work for in the São Paulo Interior category in September and, now, the second position in the national ranking; two unprecedented achievements that are significant because they validate our commitment to maintaining a healthy work environment and encouraging teamwork.”

GPTW™ certifications are a result of an anonymous survey, which aims to validate a company’s organizational culture to determine whether its employees consider it a consistently good place to work. According to Great Place to Work® Institute research, employees in certified companies are 93% more likely to be happy with their jobs; the chances of receiving fair pay and promotion opportunities are doubled; and there is a significant increase in the quality of leadership.

“Encora maintained an excellent performance in the Brazil Ranking in 2022 among more than 180 companies. Competing in the range of medium-sized multinational companies, it has reached the second position. Improvement in the employee confidence index between 2021 and 2022 has been the key factor in sustaining Encora among the best companies in the country,” says Lucas Madio, Customer Success Analyst, Great Place to Work® Brazil.

Encora Brazil has been recognized for more than 20 GPTW™ awards in three categories (São Paulo Interior, Multinational Average-Sized, and Information Technology), rising annually in these rankings. The company began its journey of focusing on a people-first philosophy more than 13 years ago, with the well-being area. In the early 2010s, Encora realized that its management practices, which focused on people, well-being, and a collaborative environment, were gaining more and more prominence in the technology market. The company doubled down on its commitment to creating a positive experience for employees, which has led to satisfied employees and impressive growth in Brazil and globally.

Encora’s global leadership team also supports its regional cultures by developing learning & development opportunities and partnerships; launching new tools and platforms to keep team members engaged and connected; delivering employee benefits such as flexible and remote work; and investing in tools to improve processes. Most of all, Encora has worked to build a global culture where people feel safe, respected, empowered, and motivated to be their best selves.

For more information on Encora’s commitment to creating a positive culture for all, visit – https://www.encora.com/about.

To see all Encora’s available positions in Brazil, please visit – https://careers.encora.com/country/brazil.

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International SEO: A Brief Guide

Search engine optimisation or SEO is a vital component of any digital marketing strategy. After all, it can create the online exposure that a brand or company needs to attract a higher volume of organic web traffic, leading to more conversions and sales. However, what happens if you use SEO and expand beyond the local markets? With Google seeing billions of searches every day, there are opportunities for organisations to draw in prospects.

The caveat, in this case, is the standard practices might not translate as well as some might think. In some instances, it may even hurt your efforts outside the country. Therefore, you must implement strong international SEO techniques to steer clear of this pitfall. In this guide, we’ll discuss what it is and how advantageous it can be for you.

International SEO—what is it?

As its name suggests, international SEO refers to the combination of practices, processes, and policies that organisations use to optimise their search content outside their respective countries. Its goal is to ensure that search engines can identify and determine where businesses operate from and the languages they support. Effective campaigns leverage language and geographic data for developing plans that can generate strong returns.

Implementing robust strategies and hiring agencies specialising in international SEO like Ocere can help you capture new markets. As a result, you can significantly multiply your revenue stream.

How international SEO transforms websites

Strategies for international SEO mainly focus on creating content applicable to the local markets and developing website structures to help search engines serve and find the correct websites. For instance, a company selling window shades within the U.S. that is looking to branch out to South American countries like Brazil or Colombia will need to ensure that the target customers are guided to the web pages containing information regarding their locations, shipping times, and costs and fees in the country’s currency.

So, the hypothetical organisation will need to structure its website to include Brazil or Colombia and United States pages. They must also leverage the metadata needed so search requests will direct users to where they need to be on the site based on their location.

Do you need it?

Whether or not you need international SEO strategies in place will depend on the plans you have for your business. If you’re not looking to go beyond your local market, state or city, it probably won’t be worth the resources and time required. In reality, it’ll only backfire on your brand if it’s only local. However, if you plan to expand the company beyond the country’s borders, international SEO will get you places. Given the many businesses competing for their respective markets globally, these strategies are necessary to stand out.

Even countries in close proximity can benefit from international SEO. For example, a company in the United States looking to attract a Mexican market can use this strategy to its advantage.

International versus local SEO

The main difference between international and local SEO is scale. The latter primarily focuses on target audiences and keywords in a narrow geographic location, while the former targets a more diverse market across various regions. Their main differentiators are the following:

Cost. International SEO generally comes with higher costs due to scope and scale.

Content. To broaden reach globally, more content will need to be produced instead of local SEO strategies.

Capture. With a global market, comprehensive research is necessary to accommodate consumers and meet expectations.

Conclusion

There aren’t many digital marketing techniques that are as essential as international SEO when creating a global presence. However, the process is as complicated as it is tedious. Therefore, it’s a rule of thumb to invest in the services of professionals instead of tackling it yourself. Doing so will save you time and a lot of trouble.

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