Brazilians All Smiles Over Warm Microwave Meals

Resource-rich Brazil, South America's largest country, has been undergoing rapid economic growth. Much of this is found in urban centers, which have seen a marked increase in nuclear families and persons living alone. Accompanying this change are changes in eating habits compared to traditionally larger families. Increasingly, pre-cooked meals and frozen foods are being served in homes throughout the country. Because of this, microwave ovens have become a necessity for many Brazilians.

Hi everyone! Hi everyone! This is Naoko in exciting Rio de Janeiro. I visited Mr. Felipe, a Brazilian bachelor who was kind enough to show me how he uses his Panasonic microwave oven to enjoy feijao, Brazil's national dish.

Panasonic makes its products and technologies available to a diverse range of consumers around the world. These articles show some of the ways the company is changing lives in different cultures from the views of local reporters.

Prepared In Batches And Served In Microwave-Heated Portions

Feijão (stewed beans with Brazilian sausage and bacon) with rice is eaten every day and is typically accompanied by sides of vegetable and meat. With black beans so popular in Rio, people commonly make big batches of feijão, using a pressure cooker to prepare the dish. After cooking, the feijão is divided into individual portions then frozen or refrigerated. Mr. Felipe has his feijão put into single-serving Tupperware containers and stored in his refrigerator.

Feijão (Stewed Beans with Brazilian Sausage and Bacon) with Rice
Brown Rice Mixed with Carrot Goes Great with Feijão

Mrs. Simone, His Maid, Cooks Enough Feijão For a Week

Maids are common in middle- and upper-class homes here and Mr. Felipe is fortunate enough to employ Mrs. Simone, who visits once a week to cook his food. She makes a big batch of feijão then divides it into individual servings. All Mr. Felipe has to do is pop one into his microwave oven for a delicious meal.

Drastically Changing Eating Habits with Microwave Ovens

"Before I bought a microwave, I often ate out since it was a bother to separately heat up leftover rice, feijão and meat," commented Mr. Felipe. "I was also too lazy to clean the dishes afterwards." Until he bought one, he never realized how useful a microwave oven could be. He appreciates the convenience, especially after a long day at work. "I just put a container in the microwave and push the one-minute button a few times," he continued. "There is a button especially for feijão, which adds to the unit's ease-of-use and makes me want to eat in every day!" He emphasized that he is very satisfied with the healthy, economical food his maid prepares. He serves the heated food on a dish with a side of salad.

Pre-Cooked Feijao Makes a Tasty Meal at the Press of a Button
Palmito, a Dish That Goes Well With Drinks, Is Easily Cooked in His Panasonic Microwave

Panasonic - Chosen For Durability

Mr. Felipe Eats In Everyday After He Bought His Panasonic Microwave.

In Brazil, Panasonic products are renowned for durability. "When I was younger, my sound system and video recorder were Panasonic, so I developed trust in the company," said Mr. Felipe. Since it was his first experience with a microwave, Panasonic was the obvious choice.

When appliances break in Brazil, people usually take them to independent repair shops where service times can be lengthy. Therefore, durability is a definite requirement when a purchase decision regarding a home appliance is required. Brazilians also favor clean, high-quality colors for their products, and Panasonic has definite appeal regarding this point.

Homemade Food Powers Brazil's Strong Economic Growth

A Wide Variety of Microwaveable Food in a Grocery Store

Staff in electronics stores note that microwave ovens have yet to find their way to many homes due to the custom of employing maids. However, as the country's economy booms along, microwave ovens are bound to become more popular as people's lifestyles become busier. They have already become a kind of status symbol for the wealthier classes, and more and more microwaveable foods are being seen in grocery stores. There has also been a recent proliferation of Brazilian recipe websites dedicated to microwave cooking.

Brazil's bustling economy is expected to see gains in offshore oilfield development, mining and agriculture, which should result in an increase in the middle-classes as more jobs become available. In a dynamic country such as this, Panasonic's future seems assured as the maker of choice for microwave ovens.

(Reported by Naoko)