Wipala Snacks was thought as a university thesis and became vegan products from Ecuador that are already exported to four countries

An agenda, pens, computers and ideas were the elements that Jaime Santillán used with his partner Mario Torres more than six years ago. The campus of the Casa Grande University, in Guayaquil, was eThe space where comments and several questions arose, one of them: what if we think about it beyond a degree project?

That led to the idea of ​​creating a chemical free energy barwhich groups the four regions of Ecuador, have shape. Both of them, during that learning process, found out how a business was formed, how they could export and where to get the ingredients.

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Once they put all their effort it became his life project, says Jaime Santillán, co-founder of Wipala Snacks. “The idea of ​​Wipala was born when my partner Mario and I, when presenting our university thesis, decided to base it on the export of energy bars to the United States. The idea was very much based on the fact that we can unite the four regions of Ecuador in a single product. Mario managed the area of ​​tropical products and I was more related to the Andean such as quinoa, lupine and amaranth”, says Santillán, 34 years old.

The international business engineer also remembers how “tedious” that process was, but at the same time satisfying. “We took advantage of each of these stages. When we went to Quito to formulate the bars, we worked with the San Francisco University and all thinking about a real launch and not something academic“, bill. After this, they carried out tests in other educational institutions of the different flavors of the energy bars, he adds.

“We joined with mentors in production training, investment, then we managed to start a plant in Milagro and through a loan we bought machinery and had our first sales in 2016,” he says.

The sales of Wipala Snacks at that time, with its banana, pineapple, cocoa, quinoa and lupine energy bars, were basically made at fairs. That was the first encounter with the market until later they arrived in cities like Quito, Cuenca, Baños, through the Supermaxi hangers.

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This business It started selling 10,000 units and once in a supermarket it went to 60,000. And as the foam grew Wipala Snacks, which currently expanded its portfolio. In addition to the energy bars, a fruit and vegetable presentation for children six months and older was added. In 2020, they released a quinoa cereal with cinnamon and another with chocolate, then some proteins in the form of small pieces of cheddar cheese and onion. And recently a drinkable energy gel.

In total there are 16 products, sweetened with brown sugar, which are not only in Ecuador but are also exported to four countries: the United States, Panama, Germany, Spain and Chile. For example, in the United States they are in Walmart and Amazon online and in the territory in CVS pharmacies.

Values ​​range from $1 to $5, depending on the product. The Sales force of this Ecuadorian brand is 75% for exports and 25% national. “We always had the intention of growing horizontally, being at the forefront. Our greatest strength is from exports, but we want to balance ”, she assures.

The raw material is purchased directly from the farmers. They do not use intermediaries. They go, for example, to Cañar, Chimborazo, to certain provinces of the Coast and Amazonia. “We always work as a tribe and the entire chain that is part of our business is a practical and immediate way to expand into other markets,” says Santillán.

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One of the worst moments in the business was a flood at the Milagro plant. There they lost machinery and raw materials. With time against them they moved to Guayaquil. “It was a hard blow because we had to close for three or four months. We had to buy machines, packaging to return to the market, ”he recalls.

Wipala, a Quechua word that means union of Andean peoples, is a brand that employs ten people and has USDA Organic and HACCP certifications, among others.

“We want to position ourselves as the first option for rich and healthy foods in Latin America. We want to break the scheme that what is natural is not so rich. That our customers have two interesting feelings, that of being satisfied with the flavor and the nutritional and environmental impact”, explains Santillán.

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For the executive, one of his greatest achievements is the awards. In 2017, they got an award as the best exporting SME company by ProEcuador; in 2018, the World Bank named them as flagship enterprise of Ecuador. “And without a doubt, having entered Walmart and CVS with our product,” he highlights.

Santillan believes that Patience is one of the best tools for success. “You have to learn to enjoy the process, many times we want to skip the steps and experience. To this day we still make mistakes and you never stop learning, but we have enjoyed the process, that things take time and it is important to surround yourself with a good team”, he suggests. (YO)