Some products are already exported to certain international markets and with the initiative they also seek to open other destinations
The paiche, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, natural fruit pulps, chili peppers, sauces and dressings; mixes for cakes, pancakes, breads and cookies, supplements based on uvillas and guayusa. Products that a priori they have nothing in common with each other.
However, if this unusual equation is introduced to the Alliance for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Ecuador (AEI), this mixture of flavors makes sense, through the program It can and his campaign ‘Products with Purpose’ that brought together seven enterprises that work with communities in the central Sierra and Amazonia to promote them on social networks with the intention of boosting their sales.
These ventures are: companies Easy Juice and Quijos Frut, with its products of Amazonian fruit pulps; Selvawa with sauces and dressings; Cusi, with mixes for healthy baking; Piara´Ka with the Amazonian aiche; Faculty with biotechnological supplements and Waykana with natural guayusa tea.
In 2021, AEI will focus on promoting innovation and national entrepreneurship
Ana María Molina, director of the AEI program You CanHe explained that the program, which started in January 2020, seeks the productive inclusion of agroenterpreneurs from the central Sierra and Amazon.
In addition, AEI highlighted coincidences between the selected enterprises, such as that they are all healthy foods, with high nutritional properties, that rural communities are a fundamental part of their production chain, receiving an exact payment for their raw material and sometimes more than with other buyers; and that all comply with required standards and regulations. Many of them have international certifications.
For example, according to José Luis Quintero, one of the founders of the Gourmet Andino company and its trademark Cusi, more than 90% of the portfolio is certified organic, which guarantees food free of synthetic fertilizers.
“We leverage on convenience, which is a market purchase motivator, but taking care not to become an ultra-processed product,” said Quintero, who pointed out that with AEI’s Se Can program they seek to consolidate their exports and open new markets.
Gourmet Andino has been exporting since 2017 and currently they send products to the three main retails from Panama, Chile, Colombia and Guatemala, as well as a small distribution in Florida (United States) and a private label for two clients in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Quintero added that with an average production of 5 tons per month, they are also present nationwide in the main supermarkets such as Supermaxi, Mi Comisariato and Tía.
Expectations of Rossy Mejía, founder of Jugo Fácil, It is also about opening new markets for its products that it already exports to the United States and Panama. Its goal is to reach Europe and Asia. Currently Jugo Fácil processes, on average, 15 tons per month and 200 tons per year, approximately.
“We are preparing ourselves in every way and thus achieve a successful and permanent internationalization of the company, contributing in an effective way to the economy and development of Ecuador, contributing directly to the populations with whom we interact,” said Mejía, who highlighted that a national level have been present since 2011 in Supermaxi, Megamaxi, Gran Aki; since 2018 in My Commissariat, Hipermarket; and since 2019 in Coral Hypermarkets.
However, Mejía acknowledged that the word easy is only in the name of his company, as he assured that the path traveled by his venture, which was born in 2011 in Quito, has not been without challenges and difficulties.
“We were born with the vision to export and the first challenge was to realize that we were not prepared to do it. We then had to face challenges related to obtaining certifications, market penetration and the need for working capital ”, recalled Mejía, who assured that these challenges have been overcome according to the different stages of the undertaking.
Quijos Frut it is also dedicated to producing fruit pulps. It is located in Napo and was created and operated by women, it generates direct sources of employment for 9 families in the sector and boosts the local economy by buying fruit from 100 small producers from indigenous communities, who overcome various obstacles to deliver their product, for example they must cross rivers in tarabita.
From the Amazon and crossing a river in tarabita, the fruit pulps arrive on the supermarket shelves
Meanwhile, another of the companies in the campaign is less than a month away from its first business roundtable after having initiated approaches and negotiations with the European market.
Is about Piara´Ka, which is dedicated to the cultivation of paiche, which it carries out with families of communities of indigenous peoples and nationalities and mestizo communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon region.
Arturo Silva, a spokesperson for the company that is domiciled in Sucumbíos, highlighted that currently the monthly production starts at 4,000 kilos of paiche fillet, being able to produce and sell over 100,000 kilos per year, depending on demand.
However, in order for export expectations to be met, Silva pointed out that it is necessary for the Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition, to “fulfill in a responsible manner” its role in terms of the control of wildlife trafficking and generate the necessary strategies. to comply with the mandates of the regulations in force in the country, such as the traceability system.
“Currently there are several marketers that receive products whose raw material is paiche, without the necessary permits, such as breeding zoo patents, mobilization guides, invoices, among others,” warned the entrepreneur, who are also about to start sales to national level, as it plans to start distributing its products, starting next November 17 in the chains of Corporación Favorita, in three points of sale: Tumbaco, Cumbayá and December 6.
Selvawa, For its part, it uses chili peppers to make its sauces that are harvested by the chakramamas, Kichwa women from the Napo province, with ancestral knowledge. This bio-enterprise generates 15 direct and 100 indirect jobs, contributes to the conservation of the forest since the product is only made at harvest time, respecting natural regeneration to avoid the loss of species.
Meanwhile, Fakulti generates 29 direct jobs and 100 indirect ones. They promote sustainability with their producers, paying fair prices, training them and eradicating chronic child malnutrition in the communities of Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Santo Domingo and Pastaza.
Finally, Waykana is an enterprise that works directly with more than 100 indigenous farmers from Napo and Orellana, who provide guayusa, which is their raw material. Generates 14 direct jobs. Its production processes support the preservation of the Amazon rainforest and its communities. Farmers’ salary is 15% higher than fair trade standards. (I)
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