Skip to content

Customers' Unmet Needs and Pains

Beverage in Brazil Current Pains Analysis

1. Overview of Present‐Day Customer Pains

Drawing on the four analytical blocks supplied, the Brazilian beverage market today is characterised by robust demand, yet it is also weighed down by structural, economic and behavioural frictions that affect both Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) customers.

Pain Cluster Principal Manifestation Main Customer Segment(s) Evidence & Source Highlights
High & complex taxation Elevated shelf prices, lower margins, onerous compliance B2C & B2B O setor de bebidas no Brasil – BNDES; Customer Challenges & Pains Analysis
Logistics deficit & high freight cost Delays, stock-outs, expensive delivery, product damage B2B → passed to B2C Ciclo Logístico das indústrias de bebidas – SAUR; Vixen Logistics
Cargo theft & security Additional insurance/security spend, supply uncertainty B2B Portal Logweb; Customer Challenges & Pains Analysis
Volatile input & packaging costs Price instability, reformulation pressure B2B Rising Drinks Demand in Brazil – Fitch Solutions; ABRE (2024-10-14)
Intense market competition Margin squeeze, high promotional spend B2B KPMG – Desafios da Indústria de Bebidas Alcoólicas; Customer Challenges & Pains Analysis
Economic sensitivity Real income pressure, trading-down behaviour B2C Trading Economics – Inflation Rate; IBGE retail data
Evolving health-oriented preferences Search for low-sugar, natural, functional drinks B2C → impacts B2B portfolio Simon-Kucher (2024); Envase Brasil Trends 2025
Demand for convenience & omnichannel Expectation of fast, seamless on-/off-trade fulfilment B2C & B2B Euromonitor – Consumer Foodservice in Brazil; Beverages eCommerce Market – ECDB
Retail power consolidation Tougher commercial terms for suppliers B2B Carrefour Group 2024 Results; Customer Challenges & Pains Analysis
Operational & credit-risk constraints Working-capital strain on smaller distributors/retailers B2B Sebrae (Distribuidora de Bebidas); ABAD – Modelos de Negócio

These pains are persistent, systemic and often mutually reinforcing—for example, logistics-related cost overruns magnify the burden of taxation on final prices, whilst health-driven preference shifts exacerbate competitive pressure through faster SKU rotation and innovation costs.

Unmet Needs and Pains

While the table above captures the day-to-day hurdles, the synthesis of social-listening cues, demand-behaviour signals and structural analysis reveals broader “need gaps” that remain insufficiently addressed. These unmet needs represent critical opportunities (and threats) for value-chain actors.

2.1 Product & Portfolio Gaps

  1. Affordable Healthy Alternatives
    • Consumers—especially lower-income and middle-class cohorts—signal willingness to adopt reduced-sugar, natural or functional beverages, yet complain about premium price points relative to conventional sodas/juices.
    • Evidence: Social sentiment around “suco natural é caro” and “kombucha só pra rico” echoed in Euromonitor insights and Current Demand Behaviour report.

  2. Authentic Low/No-Alcohol Choices
    • Young adults (18-29) increasingly look for moderation options, but SKU availability outside major urban centres is thin.
    • Evidence: IWSR (2024) forecasts global no/low-alcohol growth; Brazilian retail assortments still dominated by traditional beer.

  3. Sustainable & Recyclable Packaging at Scale
    • Consumers reward brands using refillables or lightweight recyclable materials, yet smaller players cite cost/technology barriers to adopt them.
    • Evidence: Tetra Pak “Future of Packaging”; Social chatter on “muito plástico nas garrafas de água”.

2.2 Service & Experience Gaps

  1. Reliable Cold-Chain Last-Mile Delivery
    • Urban e-commerce buyers frequently receive warm or damaged products, especially craft beer and functional RTD drinks requiring refrigeration.
    • Evidence: Negative delivery-review patterns on leading apps; Logweb & SAUR logistics analyses.

  2. Transparent Origin & Nutritional Information
    • Heightened consumer curiosity about ingredient sourcing, carbon footprint and clear sugar/caffeine disclosure, yet QR-code or blockchain traceability is rare outside premium brands.

  3. Frictionless Omnichannel Journeys for B2C & B2B
    • Retailers struggle to synchronise online and offline inventories; consumers experience out-of-stock signals online while products sit on shelves, reflecting poor data integration.
    • Evidence: IBGE reports on retail inventory divergence; Kaizen Institute findings on omnichannel efficiency gaps.

2.3 Value-Chain & Ecosystem Gaps

  1. SME-Friendly Logistics & Credit Solutions
    • Small distributors and on-trade venues need micro-warehousing, route optimisation and supplier-financing tools to compete with large chains. Current offers are fragmented or too costly.

  2. Anti-Theft Technology Adoption
    • Affordable IoT trackers and secure packaging seals remain under-penetrated, leaving mid-tier distributors exposed to cargo crime.

  3. Tax & Compliance Simplification Tools
    • Even as tax reform debates move slowly, businesses need turnkey software / shared-service solutions to handle beverage-specific ICMS, IPI and PIS/COFINS complexity—especially in multi-state operations.

  4. Data-Driven Demand Forecasting for Craft & Niche SKUs
    • Seasonal spikes (e.g., heatwaves) lead to stock shortages for energy drinks, iced coffees, flavoured waters. Mid-size producers lack advanced analytics to anticipate micro-regional demand.

2.4 Societal & Regulatory Gaps

  1. Responsible-consumption Education & Alternatives
    • Public-health bodies highlight alcohol-related harm; yet low-alcohol and functional hydration categories remain niche, signalling a gap in public-private initiatives to promote safer choices.

  2. Inclusive Pricing Strategies amid Inflation
    • With CPI volatility, there is a need for pack/price architectures (smaller SKUs, refill stations) that preserve accessibility without compromising profitability.

Key Findings

# Unmet Need / Pain Impact Magnitude Affected Stakeholders Opportunity Scope
1 Affordable healthy beverage options High – R$120 bn B2C spend exposed to health trend Consumers, Retailers, Manufacturers Reformulate mass-market SKUs; introduce value-tier functional drinks
2 Low/No-alcohol availability outside tier-1 cities Medium-High Millennials/Gen Z; On-trade venues Expand distribution of 0.0% beer/cocktails; partner with regional wholesalers
3 Cost-effective sustainable packaging High (regulatory & brand equity risk) All manufacturers; Retailers Scale lightweight PET & returnable glass; invest in circular-economy pilots
4 Cold-chain last-mile reliability Medium E-commerce platforms, Distributors, End-users Deploy insulated lockers, IoT temp-monitoring; shared micro-hubs
5 Full transparency of origin & nutrition Medium Health-conscious consumers; Premium brands QR-code traceability, blockchain pilots
6 Seamless omnichannel inventory & ordering High (lost sales, high working capital) Retail chains, SMB retailers, E-commerce Cloud ERP integration, real-time stock visibility
7 SME-friendly logistics & credit Medium Independent bars, minimarkets, distributors FinTech trade-credit, milk-run logistics platforms
8 Scalable anti-theft solutions Medium Distributors, Manufacturers Low-cost GPS seals, cargo-risk insurance bundles
9 Simplified tax/compliance tooling High (direct COGS effect) Manufacturers, Distributors, Retailers SaaS tax engines, shared-service centres
10 Data-driven micro-regional forecasting Medium Mid-size brands, Wholesalers AI demand-sensing, weather-linked promotion engines

References

  1. Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES). “O setor de bebidas no Brasil.” 2014-06-06. https://web.bndes.gov.br/bib/jspui/handle/1408/2545
  2. SAUR Equipamentos. “Ciclo Logístico das indústrias de bebidas.” 2021-10-26. https://www.saur.com.br/pt/blog/ciclo-logistico-das-industrias-de-bebidas
  3. Vixen Logistics. “Mercado cervejeiro ‑ O quanto ele movimenta a logística no Brasil.” 2023-08-16. https://vixenlog.com.br/mercado-cervejeiro-o-quanto-ele-movimenta-a-logistica-no-brasil/
  4. Portal Logweb. “Confira 4 desafios da logística na indústria de bebidas.” 2024-03-18. https://www.logweb.com.br/confira-4-desafios-da-logistica-na-industria-de-bebidas/
  5. Fitch Solutions. “Rising Drinks Demand in Brazil Benefitting From Robust Local Production.” 2024-10-07.
  6. Associação Brasileira de Embalagem (ABRE). “Bebidas faturam 10,7% a mais em agosto de 2024.” 2024-10-14. https://abre.org.br/abre-informa/bebidas-faturam-107-a-mais-em-agosto-de-2024-impulsionadas-por-calor-e-cenario-economico/
  7. Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). “Vendas no varejo fecham 2024 com alta de 4,7%.” 2025-02-13. https://agenciadenoticias.ibge.gov.br/agencia-noticias/2012-agencia-de-noticias/noticias/39211-vendas-no-varejo-fecham-2024-com-alta-de-1-7
  8. Euromonitor International. “Consumer Foodservice in Brazil.” 2024. https://www.euromonitor.com/consumer-foodservice-in-brazil/report
  9. Simon-Kucher & Partners. “From Bubbles to Budgets: What’s Driving Beverage Trends in 2024?” 2024-08-12. https://www.simon-kucher.com/en-us/about/news/what-is-driving-beverage-trends-in-2024
  10. International Wine & Spirits Research (IWSR). “Global beverage alcohol market set for moderate recovery in 2025.” 2024-06-05. https://www.theiwsr.com/global-beverage-alcohol-market-set-for-moderate-recovery-in-2025-while-challenges-persist-in-2024/
  11. Tetra Pak. “Novos horizontes para a indústria de embalagens.” 2020-10-29. https://www.tetrapak.com/pt-br/insights/cases-articles/the-future-of-packaging
  12. Carrefour Group. “H1-2024 Results.” 2024-07-24. https://www.carrefour.com/media/press-release/2024/h1-2024-results
  13. Sebrae. “Distribuidora de bebidas – Guia completo.” 2024-01-15. https://eurocontabil.com.br/veja-como-abrir-a-sua-propria-distribuidora-de-bebidas-em-2024/
  14. Kaizen Institute. “Aumento de Rentabilidade na Indústria Alimentar e de Bebidas.” https://insights.kaizen.com/pt-br/aumento-de-rentabilidade-na-industria-alimentar-e-de-bebidas
  15. ECDB – EcommerceDB. “Beverages eCommerce Market in Brazil.” https://ecommercedb.com/markets/br/food/beverages