Francisco Alves and his wife Fernanda have just invested R$70,000 ($35,860), saved up over the past three years, to install new cold-rooms and other equipment at their “micro-distributor” in Recife, north-eastern Brazil.

For two days their 15 saleswomen, earning 30 per cent commission, have been pushing hand carts around the local streets selling Nestlé products – yoghurts, biscuits, coffee – door to door.