THE INTERNET IN 3D

Cycore Canada has rolled out its Cult3D software for the Internet. Cult3D is a multi-platform 3D rendering engine for the Internet that enables companies to build and display high-quality 3D replicas of their products online and/or in their promotional materials. Consumers will now be able to ‘virtually ‘try before they buy,” the company says. According to Cycore – the Uppsala, Sweden-based parent company – leading market research firms covering digital media technology predict that the 3D digital content market will be worth more than one billion dollars in 2003. Current Web sites using the technology include Lego, Nokia, CNN, Mercedes and 3Com.

NEW SITE PROVIDES FREE MARKET INFORMATION

Internetstats.com is a new Internet resource that’s designed to provide efficient access to business and marketing information and statistics for entrepreneurs, marketers and other professionals. Web sites are centralized and intuitively organized for easy searches. Internetstats.com also sells business software, company reports and mailing lists.

TARGITMAIL.COM OFFERS ONLINE DM

The future of direct marketing is online, according to a Stratham, N.H. company. TargitMail.com has launched a dynamic, permission-based, e-mail marketing program of the same name. TargitMail allows marketers to connect in real time with over seven million worldwide subscribers, while using advanced features to define and target an audience, schedule and launch a campaign, and review its results. The database of recipients and their e-mail service providers have chosen to be part of the TargitMail.com program. Three types of demographic/psychographic breakdowns are available: general consumer (including age, profession, gender, geography, income), general business (including SIC code, industry, employee count, credit rating, specific departments), and specialty/interest group.

Kraft Heinz is reporting earnings of 78 cents a share, beating Wall Street’s estimate of 72 cents a share, thanks to continued demand for snacks and pre-packaged meals. However, the company also reported a net sales decline of 0.5% compared with the same period last year, to $6.6 billion, according to its latest Q2 earnings report, released Tuesday.

The company experienced a favourable 2.3 percentage point impact from currency and a negative 0.7 percentage point impact from its February divestiture of Hormel Foods – including the Planters peanut brand – which closed in the second quarter of 2021.

Its cheese divestiture – which included the sale of its natural cheese division to Lactalis – is expected to close in the second half of 2021, says Kraft Heinz Global CEO Miguel Patricio in this morning’s conference call.

Adjusted EBITDA slumped 5.2% versus the year-ago period to $1.7 billion and increased 6.6% versus the comparable 2019 period. Higher transportation and inflation-related goods costs continue to affect the company’s bottom line.

Kraft Heinz’ organic net sales declined 3.6% in Canada over the last three months compared with a comparable period last year, this as total net sales rose 8.8% year over year. 

However, its overall organic net sales slipped 2.1% compared with 2020 figures. This includes the negative impact stemming from exiting its McCafé licensing agreement. However, this decline was partly offset, Kraft Heinz reports, by “partial recovery in foodservice channels and retail consumption trends.”

“Food service is recovering, and recovering fast,” Patricio stressed in today’s earnings call. He said “the bet to support QSR” early in the pandemic, with individual packets of ketchups and sauces, is paying off.

Channel trends are still normalizing, he warns, and it’s too early to see how at home or away from home, will net out. “We have big ambitions for away from home business,” he said. Consumers continue to evolve how they eat, with Patricio saying that Kraft Heinz is collaborating with a popular DTC brand for its Philadelphia cream cheese.

Accrued marketing costs, the company reports, rose to $968 million from $946 million in December 2020.

“We are investing more in our brands, and better as well, building a much more creative company,” Patricio reported.

Kraft Heinz is also strengthening and diversifying its media presence, he said, driving repeat rates for those discovering and rediscovering the brand. Patricio added that the company is continuing to drive its transformation program forward, modernizing its brands and better connecting with its consumers.