Ambev: 35% of bars are in debt and most do not have access to credit
The difficulty in accessing credit continues to be one of the main obstacles for bars and restaurants in Brazil. Ambev's Vice President of Impact and Corporate Relations, Carla Crippa, points out that around 35% of establishments in the sector are currently in debt, while the majority of small entrepreneurs do not even seek financing as they consider the process complex or inaccessible.
In an exclusive interview with CNN Money, the executive stated that the problem goes beyond the supply of resources and involves the creation of solutions that are more appropriate to the reality of small businesses.
"There is an important structural challenge. We see from Sebrae data that 85% of small entrepreneurs have not even sought new credit in the last six months and even those who seek more than half cannot access credit", says the vice-president.
The executive also highlights that the bar and restaurant sector has a relevant weight in the Brazilian economy, generating more than R$400 billion per year and generating almost 5 million direct and indirect jobs.
In this scenario, Ambev announced the expansion of the Bora program, an initiative aimed at generating income and productive inclusion, which is expected to mobilize more than R$100 million in financial solutions, training and debt renegotiation throughout 2026.
The company's expectation is to reach up to 250 thousand partner bars, restaurants and small businesses.
According to Crippa, the objective is to offer tools that allow entrepreneurs to invest and plan business growth with more security.
"A solution to this problem involves the development of tools adapted to the reality of small entrepreneurs, with less complexity and that contribute to their financial education. These solutions should allow entrepreneurs to invest and plan their growth with more security", he says.
Despite the challenges, Crippa states that the company maintains a positive vision for the segment and is committed to strengthening small entrepreneurs as a way of boosting the local economy.
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And the results already observed by the program indicate that entrepreneurs who received mentoring recorded an average increase of 16% in revenue, according to the executive. Among those who had access to both mentoring and credit, growth reached 25%.
The company also seeks to prepare establishments to take advantage of seasonal opportunities. According to Crippa, a recent survey by Abrasel shows that 80% of bars that intend to broadcast the World Cup games expect an increase in revenue during the tournament.
"We want these entrepreneurs to be prepared both to take advantage of specific opportunities and to make their businesses grow sustainably throughout the year, generating income and a real impact on the economy", he said.
Source: CNN