Keeping the flavors and gastronomic traditions of Ecuador alive among its people, who for various reasons had to settle in the United States, has made the company La Serranita import Ecuadorian products for 25 years. Although at the beginning, as in any business, it was difficult, over time they established themselves in a competitive market like the American one, the projection of sales growth by the end of this year is 15% compared to 2022.
La Serranita was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States. Its CEO, Mónica García, says the name is related to the Andean product they launched with their potential clients, who were mostly from the Sierra and Andean areas of the region.
Logistics and taxes are among the factors that affect the price of Ecuadorian products in the United States
They are present on the east coast of the North American country, mainly in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, but they are also present in Massachusetts, Ohio, Illinois and Maryland. They are starting to serve states like North Carolina and Florida. And they are looking for new distributors in South Florida, Texas and California, as well as any other distributor in another state of the American Union.
Much of La Serranita’s product catalog comes from its Ecuadorian factory, as much from Mexico, Peru and Colombia, according to García, who adds that the company does not package any products in the United States. All products are exclusively imported.
The company started with a small line that included Cayambe cheeses; frozen with tomato, cassava, blackberry and orange; and in shells with crabs, which, although it initially had complications due to the regulations in the port of loading and unloading, later stabilized and is part of the list of marine products. They currently have a line of dairy products, fried vegetables and fruits, fruit pulp and ice cream, and seafood.
Ecuador exports more shellfish than crab in 2023 due to interest from Hong Kong buyers
Among the products with the highest demand in Ecuador are frozen tomatoes, blackberries, naranjilla and melloco. In the milk line, Cayambe cheese stands out, which is one of the oldest in the catalog. At the seafood level, this applies to albacore, which has a mostly Ecuadorian clientele.
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The total sales of Ecuadorian products compared to other countries is 70 percent, but it can vary depending on the sowing and harvesting season, closed seasons or weather problems and the availability of collaborators, he says.
Ecuadorians living on the East Coast make up the majority of the clientele, but they also serve a large Latin American community in general. “Although there are products aimed exclusively at the Colombian or Peruvian community – he cites as an example – there are also 100% Ecuadorian products that have conquered the tastes of many nationalities,” he affirms.
At prices ranging from 69 cents to more than $30, Ecuadorian products are sold in supermarkets in the United States
García says that talking about one product that represents higher sales is a bit “complicated and difficult”, because there are years in which dairy products sold better or others in which the summer was longer, which allowed them to sell more fruit pulp or Flippers ice cream.
Let’s recall that 2020 was complicated, mainly in terms of logistics due to the pandemic, but it was also a very good year for the sale of Cayambe cheese. “It sold all year at a very good rate and that allowed us to end up with almost six figures,” he says.
The crabs go from Naranjelo and Balao to the United States, where a package of 14 units sells for between $50 and $75
Asked what the difference is between the prices and quality of American products or products from other countries and those from Ecuador, García replied that there are many differences, but the factor that unites almost all companies that strongly participate in the North American market is high competitiveness: “Any company that wants to survive in this market must adhere to a culture of high demand in both quality and price.”
In this context, it indicates that while “almost” every product in their line is interchangeable in the US market, the difference is their commitment to quality and high price competitiveness.
A path with ups and downs
Source: Eluniverso
Alia is a professional author and journalist, working at 247 news agency. She writes on various topics from economy news to general interest pieces, providing readers with relevant and informative content. With years of experience, she brings a unique perspective and in-depth analysis to her work.
