In supermarket aisles, it is common to find seafood from other countries. In contrast, domestic products tend to occupy a small space or go unnoticed. The distributor Propesmar has become an exception, betting on seafood of Mexican origin that is placed on the shelves of local chains in Yucatán.
Its fresh and frozen products reach regional chains such as Super Aki and Dunosusa and come from different parts of the country, such as Baja California, Sinaloa, Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatán itself.
“Most of our products are from the country and because we have placed them because it is a matter of having a negotiation, so far we have achieved this with supermarkets such as Dunosusa and Super Aki. We don't stop knocking on doors, but it's not easy because larger chain supermarkets have many ways of working that we're not compatible with and that diminishes possibilities,” said Ignacio González, sales manager.
At Propesmar, they give priority to the commercialization of local products. Photo: Itzel Chan.
González explained that many supermarkets manage a strict limit of brands per category, whether shrimp, fish or molluscs, so incorporating one more implies overcoming bureaucratic processes and selection criteria that do not always weigh the origin of the product.
Even so, Propesmar has managed to position itself in local supermarkets, offering a guarantee of freshness and real weight.
“We vacuum our products, so we use technology to keep them at the right temperature and attest that what's inside the package is a product, not ice,” he added.
Propesmar was founded 10 years ago with the purpose of marketing national products and opening up market opportunities for fishing cooperatives that seek to place what they catch in their communities. To achieve this, they also adapt to market preferences and offer added value.
“Some challenges we have encountered are to adapt to the type of market and its needs, such as, for example, we are responsible for offering added value, which is to combine seafood and prepare it to make seafood or other dishes,” said Ignacio.
The marketer is open to working with local cooperatives. Photo: EDF Español.
In his experience, the most requested products in supermarkets are shrimp and sea bass, whose demand increases particularly during Easter and the Christmas season. To make your business profitable, in addition to commercial chains, Propesmar distributes to restaurants.
For Enrique Sánchez Sánchez, president of the National Chamber of Fisheries and Aquaculture Industries (Canainesca) in Yucatán, promoting domestic products in supermarkets is essential.
At Propesmar they recognize the work of Mexican fishermen. Photo: EDF Español.
“What would be needed is more publicity about the consumption of local products such as grouper and rubia, even in restaurants where few sell them as well,” said Sánchez.
The leader added that it is essential for consumers to know the origin of what they buy, although he recognizes that few people pay attention to the origin.
Propesmar keeps its doors open for cooperatives interested in marketing their products through the distributor that prioritizes what is caught in Mexican seas.
* This article was written by Itzel Chan, who covers coastal communities thanks to the support of the Report for the World program .
Comentarios (0)