Tuesday 18 December 2007

CATERING & HOTELS MARKET

ASIA: DECEMBER 2007 - Growth and challenges in the Hong Kong hotel sector.

On 28 September 2007 Mark Lettenbichler, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Hotels Association, published his statement for 2006-2007 in which he reviewed the successes of, and challenges facing, the hotel industry in Hong Kong.

Room inventory had increased from 43,866 rooms at the end of 2005 to 51,742 rooms by July 2007 with a projected inventory of 55,174 by the end of 2007. This will represent an increase of 26% withinin two years.

This rise in room numbers led to a two percentage point decline in average hotel room occupancy rate during the first seven months of 2007 year to 83.4% from 85.4% in the first seven months of 2006.This was counterbalanced by an increase in average hotel room rates of 11.9% resulting in an increase in average yield of 9.3%.

He highlighted the need to be aware of the growing popularity of Macau as a tourist destination. Macau, an hour's ferry ride from Hong Kong has overtaken Las Vegas as the world's leading gambling destination and has a higher per capita GDP than Hong Kong. However given Hong Kong's superior air transport facilities and international connections it should be possible for the hotel industry to benefit from developments in Macau.

An indirect challenge posed by the growth in Macau's tourist infrastructure is the demands it places on the limited pool of suitably skilled staff in the region.

Simon Keswick, the Chairman of Mandarin Oriental International Limited, has also announced his confidence in the sector in the companiy's 2007 interim report. The group's eponymous Kong Kong hotel benefitted from higher average room rate following its refurbishment; the group's Excelsior Hong Kong also achieved good growth in its room rate.

Hong Kong Hotels 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots Hong Kong Hotels 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Hong Kong hotel market, and covers high tariff hotels, medium tariff hotels, tourist guesthouses and unclassified establishments. Market volume is based on number of hotels. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Hong Kong Hotels 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Catering & Hotels industry coverage.

Singapore Hotels 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots Singapore Hotels 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Singaporean hotel market, and covers budget, mid tier, upper-mid tier and upper tier hotels. Market value is based on room revenues generated. Market volume is based on number of hotel rooms. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Singapore Hotels 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Catering & Hotels industry coverage.

Germany Hotels 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots Germany Hotels 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the German hotel market, and covers hotels, guesthouses, pensions and hotel garni. It does not include group accommodation establishments, holiday centres, youth hostels, mountain refuges or similar establishments. Market volume is based on number of overnight stays. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Germany Hotels 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Catering & Hotels industry coverage.

RETAIL MARKET

AMERICAS: DECEMBER 2007 - Grupo Gigante's announcement may herald consolidation in the Mexican retail sector.

On 8 November 2007 Grupo Gigante announced to the Mexican Stock Exchange that it was evaluating its strategic options and that this process may lead to the sale of assets, mergers or strategic alliances. It confirmed that no agreement had yet been reached.

On 20 November an anonymous spokesman for the CFC, Mexico's competition commission, stated that Wal-Mart de Mexico, Walmex, had withdrawn its request to acquire either Gigante or those of its assets it might put up for sale. Soriana had previously announced that it would await a formal sale announcement before reaching a decision as to whether it would bid.

Two Chilean retailers, Cencosud and Falabella, have formally signalled their interest in pursuing discussions with Gigante and its advisers.

In a separate development Wal-Mart de Mexico announced on 13 November that it planned to accelerate the development of its banking unit by opening up to 80 new branches in 2008. The foundation of Banco Wal-Mart de Mexico Adelante SA was announced in November 2006 and started operations in the second half of 2007. It offers savings accounts, debit cards, and credit to individual and small-business customers.

Mexico Mass Market Retailing 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots Mexico Mass Market Retailing 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Mexican mass market retailing market, and covers supermarkets, department stores and specialised stores. Market value is based on gross sales. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Mexico Mass Market Retailing 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Retail industry coverage.

Wal Mart De Mexico 2007
Snapdata's Wal-Mart de México SA de CV Company Snippet 2007 report gives an instant overview of Wal-Mart de México’s company background and history. The report provides a time-saving valuable overview of the company, history, M&A activity, management, products and brands. The Wal-Mart de México Company Snippet 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Company Snippets Series.

Brazil Supermarkets & Hypermarkets 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots Brazil Supermarkets & Hypermarkets 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Brazilian supermarkets and hypermarkets market, and covers traditional supermarkets, hypermarkets and large supermarkets, and small supermarkets. Market value is based on gross sales. Market volume is based on number of stores. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Brazil Supermarkets & Hypermarkets 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Retail industry coverage.

MEDIA MARKET

EUROPE: DECEMBER 2007 - Consolidation forecast in the German newspaper industry.

Germany's newspaper industry is highly fragmented and the market has attracted overseas investors as local publishers are restricted in their expansion plans by still extant legislation preventing media concentration which were passed in the wake of World War 2. Many smaller family-owned newspaper groups are forecast to come on to the market as they lack successors and funds for expansion into the digital arena. It has been forecast that 80 to 100 regional publishers will have disappeared by 2025.

The Suddeutsche Zeitung, Germany's bestselling broadsheet is currently being auctioned and has attracted interest from UK and US private equity companies and four privately-held German newspaper groups, SWMH, Holtzbrinck, DuMont and WAZ Group

Employees of Berliner Verlag, publishers of, amongs others, Berliner Zeitung and Hamburger Morgenpost, are in dispute with new owner Mecom. Mecom was founded in 2005 by David Montgomery, formerly Chief Executive of the UK's Mirror Group and is an acquisitive pan-European newspaper group.

Their issues include Mecom's plans to combine online and print activities, outsourcing of sub-editing responsibilities and its reputation for fierce cost-cutting.

Germany's largest newspaper publisher, Axel Springer, recently announced an 8.9% increase in revenues for the first 9 months of 2007; earnings for the period (EBITA) were equivalent to the same period in 2006 despite higher start-up costs.

Related Market Industry Reports

Germany Newspapers 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots Germany Newspapers 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the German newspaper market, and covers national, regional and other newspapers. Free newspapers are not included. Market volume is based on average daily circulation. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Germany Newspapers 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Media industry coverage.

BABY FOOD MARKET

EUROPE: DECEMBER 2007 - Organic baby foods represent over 50% of the UK market.

In the UK sales of organic produce represent over 50% of the total baby food market.

The Organic Trade Group was established by the Soil Association, the main UK accreditation body for organic food, in 2007 to represent the needs and views of organic businesses in the UK.

The Chair, Elizabeth Vann, recently expressed its disappointment to the Food Standards Agency that they had not been consulted over its response to University of Southampton research into food additives and hyperactive behaviour in children.

The thrust of their argument is that the FSA should be more prescriptive and rely less on the discretion of parents who may be less aware and less informed of the dangers.

Consolidation in the European sector continues. The EU Competition Commission approved the acquisition by Danone of Numico, the manufacturer of the Cow & Gate and Olvarit brands, with the proviso that Danone divests businesses in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The deal has been declared unconditional and Numico shares will be delisted from Euronext Amsterdam on 28 December 2007. Nestlé completed the acquisition of Gerber in September 2007.

Related Market Industry Reports

UK Baby Food 2007
Snapdata's Snapshots UK Baby Food 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the UK baby food market, and covers wet baby food, dry baby food and others. Market value is based on retail sales. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots UK Baby Food 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Food industry coverage.

FOOD & DRINKS MARKET

AMERICAS: DECEMBER 2007 - US coffee consumption peaked in 1946.

The Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture has examined its coffee availability data, a proxy for consumption, and calculated that US per capita coffee consumption peaked in the mid-1940s. In 1946 per capita availability measured 46.4 gallons compared to 24.2 gallons in 2005. This is despite the current popularity of Starbucks and its peers.

Instant coffee, which firstappeared in 1938, was issued to troops during the 2nd World War with a consequential impact on future demand.

The subsequent decline in coffee consumption is contemporaneous with the rise in availability and popularity of carbonated soft drinks which overtook coffee in popularity in the mid-1970s.

The nadir in coffee availability was 1995 and the subsequent rise is attributed to the coffee shop phenomenon which has counterbalanced declining sales in supermarkets.

However the age demographic of coffee consumption is skewed. According to National Coffee Association data coffee is consumed by only 37% of Americans between the ages of 18 to 24 whereas 60% of 40 to 59 year olds and 74% of those over 60.

In October 2007 it was reported, although not confirmed, that Procter & Gamble had hired Blackstone to explore the sale of its Folger and Millsone coffee businesses.

Related Market Industry Reports

US Coffee 2007

Snapdata's Snapshots US Coffee 2007 provides 2005 year-end market size data, with 2006 estimates, 4 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the US coffee market, and covers instant and fresh coffee. Market value is based on sales through mass market channels. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots US Coffee 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Non-Alcoholic Drinks industry coverage.

Procter & Gamble 2007

Snapdata's The Procter & Gamble Company Company Snippet 2007 report gives an instant overview of Procter & Gamble’s company background and history. The report provides a time-saving valuable overview of the company, history, M&A activity, management, products and brands. The Procter & Gamble Company Snippet 2007 forms part of Snapdata's Company Snippets Series.

Wednesday 12 December 2007

Hungary Life Insurance Market 2008

Snapshots Hungary Life Insurance 2008

Snapdata's Snapshots Hungary Life Insurance 2008 provides 2007 year-end market size data, with 2008 estimates, 5 years of historical data and five-year forecasts. The Snapshots report gives an instant overview of the Hungarian life insurance market, and covers insurance allied with investments, endowment, death and critical illness and other insurance. Market value is based on gross premium income. The data is supplied in both graphical and tabular format for ease of interpretation and analysis. The Snapshots Hungary Life Insurance 2008 forms part of Snapdata's Financial Services industry coverage....more