Israel Romero / Saturday, September 26, 2020 / Categories: Blog Why do we lie to ourselves? paina is a very unique country At a gastronomic level we are at the top of the global pyramid in quality and variety, but do we really value it internally? I have my doubts, after getting to know our brands that are present on MadeinSpain.store. Our culture tells us we are unbeatable gastronomically, but it turns out that trends indicate we are increasingly ignorant about the quality of our native products. The reasons behind that theory are varied and some are very interesting. Tourism Spaniards: they don't believe our products are the best MadeinSpain.store: the platform But does our country have a future as a buying market? Tourism, one of the country’s most important sources of income, is one of the most obvious causes for why we stop valuing our most representative gastronomic products. The relentless and constant growth of tourism has developed an economy based on gastronomy aimed at foreign visitors. That was a very good idea, but the way it was implemented, absolutely was not. The opportunity to project the country internationally without moving, thanks to the peaceful “invasion” of foreign tourists, seemed brilliant for the evolution of our food — for it to internationalize in a global world much faster and more optimally thanks to the demand generated after having tried our delicacies during their vacations. Yet we did not take good advantage of that opportunity either: first, because we have not always offered them the best and therefore did not stand out, and second, we did not accompany them back to their countries so they would continue consuming our products. However, what the international crowd did do was pay better than anyone for our gastronomy. It may sound like a very blunt statement. But it needs to be explained. Of course we do value our products, but to the extent of being their best customer? That certainly not. Here the issue of little conviction and trust in our own country could come into play, and on the other hand, we are not very keen on assigning a rising economic value to what is produced here, because foreigners are already paying — and paying very well — for our products. In this way, conversely, we have become accustomed to eating “so-called domestic products at moderate prices,” but, surprise, either they were not Spanish, or they were of inferior, not premium, quality. Therefore, ironically, the Spanish national market is not the market for premium gastronomic products; rather, it is the resident international market and the non-resident international market (Europe, America and Asia in that order). It may sound like a very blunt statement. But it needs to be explained. Of course we do value our products, but to the extent of being their best customer? That certainly not. Here the issue of little conviction and trust in our own country could come into play, and on the other hand, we are not very keen on assigning a rising economic value to what is produced here, because foreigners are already paying — and paying very well — for our products. In this way, conversely, we have become accustomed to eating “so-called domestic products at moderate prices,” but, surprise, either they were not Spanish, or they were of inferior, not premium, quality. Therefore, ironically, the Spanish national market is not the market for premium gastronomic products; rather, it is the resident international market and the non-resident international market (Europe, America and Asia in that order). After a detailed study of the demand for premium Spanish gastronomic products, we realized that the first market demanding them is Europe. And for us it is the highest priority. Facilitating the relationship through attractive shipping options (costs have dropped considerably recently and are no longer a barrier to entry), and providing much more content (branded content) about the products we offer — recipes and other informative material that improve our positioning in European minds — while remaining competitive on final product prices because we do not use distributors, and with the brand-value component we provide from MadeinSpain.store, the potential market we have is incredible and undoubtedly encouraging for Spanish brands that produce top-quality products and desperately need to be recognized by customers who prioritize quality over quantity and place healthy eating above other, less important things in life. This question right now is not easy to answer with a categorical yes or no. In the short term, I would lean toward no if we continue not doing anything to promote commercial relationships with quality Spanish brands, labeling them as expensive, elitist, and only for foreigners who can afford them. The network of small producers, essential to the areas where they live and that create a balance between society and the ecosystem, is not precisely an elitist group, and regional and national governments should look after them because they can contribute the greatest value to our primary industry. By domino effect, they can generate parallel economies that contribute from an increase in exports (more workers because there is more demand, auxiliary companies that would benefit: packaging, transport, etc.), and a more qualitative tourism that demands higher-quality products (more overall income per tourist, replacing the policy of “more income, more tourists” with “more income per tourist” — not by attracting more tourists, but by improving the quality of those who come to Spain). However, in a second cycle, with the conviction that we can reach the domestic people who do enjoy high-quality Spanish gastronomy and who want to preserve it above other options, we believe we will recover a national market that is more demanding and on par with the European market that values us most. Because for Romero Premium Networking, helping to improve our country is also one of our greatest challenges. Spain: a land of great gastronomic products... but who knows about them? How to Find Happiness: The Pleasure of Eating Premium Spanish Gourmet Foods Print 5 Rate this article: No rating Please login or register to post comments.