The group comprises 13 companies of the sector that were called to bolster the presence of their products in the domestic market.

They are coordinated by ProCórdoba Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Córdoba, which work to drive the growth of SMEs in the province which produce value-added products.

Click here to access the Gourmet Foods Group catalog (in Spanish).

In recent years, gourmet foods have experienced significant growth in terms of production and trade, and a quantitative and qualitative leap, as a result of the new consumer trends that are emerging worldwide. The sector, in fact, has even been one of the most dynamic in the months marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, given that many families have bought food items directly for consumption at home.

Favored by this scenario and in order to consolidate a project that was already in motion to drive the companies in the sector, ProCórdoba - the Export Promotion Agency of Córdoba's Ministry of Industry, Trade and Mining - together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Córdoba, formed the province's Gourmet Foods Group.

The group is currently made up of 13 companies from Córdoba, namely: Aceites del Desierto, Manuco, Pepper&Co, Vegetanesa, HC Artesanal, Santa Francisca, Estación La Finca, Fruit de Lait, Dúo Silvestre, Caleufú Gourmet, Laguna Brava, Garlic and Familia Grión. Three of the firms are located in the city of Córdoba, while the rest are based in cities in the interior of the province such as Laboulaye, Saldán, Colonia Caroya, Colonia Tirolesa, Despeñaderos, San Francisco, Río Cuarto, Tío Pujio and Marcos Juárez.

The Gourmet Foods Group is part of ProCórdoba Agency's Intranational Trade Program, which aims to provide solutions to problems in international trade, whose ups and downs affect the continuity or growth of SMEs' internationalization processes. At the same time, it is an educational program for those productive sectors or companies that are not yet strong in the national market, so that they can develop tools that will be useful in the future for them to start exporting their products.

"The objective of this group is to identify the specific needs of each SME and to develop a set of tools that will allow them to improve their performance. The gourmet food sector is a segment of high quality, somewhat distinguished products, of a broad and changing nature," pointed out Luis Gilli, Trade Promotion Manager at ProCórdoba. At the same time he said, "In recent years, there have appeared retail businesses that are exclusively dedicated to premium products or stores which include them on their shelves. That is why penetrating the national market is the first essential step to develop market niches."

To establish the Gourmet Foods Group, we started with a roster of 300 companies. About 30 companies from different areas of the food sector were selected from this list. Then, ProCórdoba staff coordinated visits to the facilities of each of the companies. During these visits, they conducted a basic questionnaire and a visual inspection of the facilities and production processes, and became familiar with the product lines.

Commercial Growth and National Expansion

With the group now formed, ProCórdoba Agency will work on different lines of action to contribute to the development of the member companies. Some of the actions planned are providing assistance the commercialization, marketing and communication processes, and assistance for participation in events, with the objective that the firms acquire new tools to project themselves in the national market and even begin to export.

"Our expectations are focused on consolidating our presence in the regions within the country we are already working in, and also expanding to places we have not yet reached. We consider that being invited to form this group has been an enriching experience since it has allowed us to be in contact with other gourmet food companies, and share concerns and problems that we have to face. Also, working as a group drives ideas and strategies to achieve our goals. Being in a group and having the support of ProCórdoba, it is much easier to grow," said Gerardo Colombatti of Estación La Finca.

Sharing experiences and realities, receiving support to get differentiated products in the market, and promoting and selling them nationally and internationally are some of the objectives that the members of this group want to attain. In relation to this, Domingo Montaño, managing partner at Aceites del Desierto said: "Our objective is to receive some kind of support to participate in events that allow us to present differentiated food offerings to consumers and businesses or distributors in Córdoba and other parts of the country. Working as a group helps to promote our foods at a national and international level with more support to integration and in professional and economic terms. On the other hand, I believe that it's also beneficial to be familiar with the experiences and realities of other companies, to be there for one another when taking steps, making decisions, sharing advice and different visions, and understanding both the dynamics of the markets in the big cities around the country and the players."

For her part, Paula Fraticelli from Vegetanesa, commented, "Being part of this group of companies from Córdoba and having the support of ProCórdoba Agency is motivating and enriching. Our objective is to grow and expand our trading network at the national level; to learn from other companies in the food industry; to establish partnerships and contacts with other companies and governmental and non-governmental institutions, and to prepare ourselves to take the leap and export our products."

The Gourmet Foods Group One by One

• Aceites del desierto (Córdoba): production, trade and export of vegetable oils, flours, cereals and derivatives.
• Manuco (Laboulaye): production and sale of flavored salts, whole salts for meat preparations, and spices.
• Pepper&Co (Saldán): artisan production of 100% natural gourmet vegetable preserves.
• Vegetanesa (Córdoba): production and sale of vegetable dressings, roasted chickpeas and other vegetable and pulse-based foods.
• HC Artesanal (Colonia Tirolesa): production and packaging of gourmet offerings. The firm stands out for offering innovative, quality products such as artisan liquors and jellies, spices and infusions.
• Santa Francisca (Despeñaderos): a family business dedicated to the production of artisanal cheeses.
• Estación La Finca (San Francisco): craft chocolate makers since 2006. Certified as a gluten-free establishment since 2013. It produces bars with white, milk and semi-sweet chocolate and various chocolate confectionery offerings.
• Fruit de Lait (Tío Pujio): gourmet cheese factory distinguished by the originality, flavor and sophistication of its products. Its offer consists of a careful selection of unique products, of ancient tradition and full of history.
• Dúo Silvestre (Marcos Juárez): production of pickled meats and vegetables, and jams of various fruits that delight all customers.
• Caleufú Gourmet (Córdoba): production of Delicatessen & Gourmet products of meat and vegetable origin. Its offer includes pickles, stuffed olives, olive tapenades, exotic meats and their derivatives. The products are made using age-old techniques that last in the time.
• Laguna Brava: this firm produces and sells Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Laguna Brava results from the selection of the best varieties of olives. The blend harmonizes the different nuances of flavor, antioxidants and properties of extra virgin olive oil.
• Garlic: producer and trader. It transforms white garlic by eliminating the acids that cause stomach problems and unwanted odors, changing its flavor, aroma, color and texture. Finally, it offers a nutritious gourmet product.
• Familia Grión: a renowned producer of pork preparations and cold meats, dry and fresh sausages, and salt-cured meats from Colonia Caroya, with a "model" plant expanding over 1500 square meters.