Annual Report 2010 - Melitta

32 Melitta MelittaUnternehmensgruppe Group Annual Report Geschäftsbericht 2010 2008
Melitta USA
Implementation of coffee strategy
2010 was a challenging year for the American coffee
industry. High green bean prices and the exceptionally
strong demand for single portion capsules had an
unforeseen impact on our coffee business. Against this
backdrop, we focused mainly on the implementation of
our product strategy.
Based on the success of our coffee strategy in the
regional market of Philadelphia, we expanded our
premium product line “Café Collection” and now also
offer it in New York. In Philadelphia, we succeeded in
significantly enhancing our share of the retail grocery
market and by the end of 2010 we were the number one
premium brand. With a strong increase in sales volume,
we were able to achieve double-digit revenue growth in
North-East America year on year. In addition to our
standard range, we now also offer coffee in tins with the
mild-roasted “New Breakfast Blend” for those consumers
who prefer a milder flavor.
During the course of the year, we successfully completed
the modernization work on our coffee roasting plant. All
stages of production have been improved: from the
delivery of green beans, to roasting, grinding and pack-
Marty Miller
CEO
ing. The modernized roasting plant enables us to produce
more efficiently and sustainably, while also raising
capacities and significantly enhancing quality.
In our filter paper business, we succeeded in making
small gains in our share of the retail grocery market.
Both filter papers and basket filters held their ground
despite an overall decline in market volume due to the
trend toward single portion coffee.