French vegetable group Bonduelle has reported a 2% increase in quarterly sales amid “strong” growth from its canned business.
The company yesterday (3 May) booked turnover of EUR429.9m (US$564.7m) for the three months to the end of March, the third quarter of its financial year.
Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations and on a like-for-like basis, turnover increased 4.4%.
Bonduelle’s canned business, its largest by sales, reported a 5.5% increase in revenues. The company reported improved sales volumes from both own-label and branded products in Europe. It also pointed to the impact of Easter.
Frozen sales fell 3.6% due to the impact of the end of Bonduelle’s branded business in Spain and amid lower volumes in the foodservice sector in some markets.
Price increases helped boost sales from Bonduelle’s chilled business, which increased 0.4%.
The company did not provide any numbers for its third-quarter profits but maintained its forecast of an annual operating result of EUR98-100m.
Bonduelle is set to integrate three new businesses into its operations. In March, the company finalised acquisitions in North America and in Russia. It is also awaiting approval from Hungary’s competition authorities for the purchase of a local canned food business.
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