Because in this context of health crisis consumers take more care of their food, companies in the Costa Rican market dedicated to the production and marketing of organic food have managed to take advantage of the business opportunities that have arisen.
Analyses carried out at a global level, agree that driven by the search for benefits for their health and immune system, in the current context of changing habits, consumers are beginning to prefer fresh foods more than packaged or processed ones.
An agricultural production complex was inaugurated in Costa Rica, which has six modules for protected environments and will be used to validate vegetable crop production techniques.
The project, promoted by the National Institute for Innovation and Transfer of Agricultural Technology (INTA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, aims to validate horticultural crop production techniques in protected environments for the agro-environmental conditions of the Huetar Caribbean Region, Costa Rican authorities reported.
Peru demonstrates that through specific actions it is possible to turn a country's gastronomy into an engine of development, a situation that generates opportunities to export a wide and diversified offer of food products.
The international positioning of Peru's gastronomic industry is the result of more than three decades of public/private actions aimed at turning gastronomy into an engine of development, driven by civil society.
The lack of incentives, the disorder to apply the legislation and the complexity of producing in areas that are surrounded by traditional crops, are some of the factors that hinder the development of organic agriculture in Costa Rica.
In the last decade, the area planted to organic agriculture has fallen. Data from the program of Accreditation and Registration in Agriculture (ARAO) specify that in 2010 the area amounted to 11,115 hectares and in 2019 fell to 8,832 hectares, equivalent to a decrease of 21%.
Because Mexico is the third largest Latin American country in terms of area devoted to organic agricultural production, there are multiple opportunities to market inputs for this sector.
In terms of the number of hectares planted with organic crops, Michoacan, Chiapas and Oaxaca are the states that have 68% of the total planted nationally, according to an analysis prepared by Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (Procomer).
In the current context of pandemic and changing habits, consumers are beginning to prefer fresh foods over packaged or processed foods, driven by the search for health and immune system benefits.
The covid-19 outbreak led to changes in people's behavior and significant changes in consumption habits, which are reflected in the food product market.
Personalized food, health and well-being, sustainability, zero waste and taste and indulgence are the five macro trends that impact the food sector in this new commercial reality.
The pandemic resulting from the outbreak of covid-19 has essentially served as a driving force behind most of the trends that had been developing before the crisis, only slowing down those linked to sensory experiences, concerns about the use of plastic in packaging and preferences for imported options, since the context has stimulated the consumption of brands and alternatives of local origin, according to an analysis by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Agency (Procomer).
Berries, cherries and citrus fruits, fruits that due to their vitamin C content are generally associated with positive effects on the immune system, reported increases in sales in the US and European markets during March, April and May 2020.
In this context of new consumption habits, which emerged worldwide due to the outbreak of covid-19, banana sales (due to its high potassium content and its contributions to health) have been extremely positive.
In Central America, it is estimated that nearly 14 million people show an interest in fast food in the digital environment. Pizza, tacos, organic food and snacks are some of the terms that have best positioned themselves in the minds of consumers with high purchasing power.
An analysis of the interests and preferences of consumers in Central America, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, shows interesting results on the preferences and tastes of people in various foods, products, services, restaurant chains and activities.
Concern for health and a balanced diet, which goes hand in hand with the demand for food that is easy and quick to prepare, is one of the opportunities that can be taken advantage of by Central American exporters.
In the food market, the cultural variety stands out, due to the convergence of diverse culinary traditions generated by the relevance of tourism.
What to consume, what to stop consuming, which habits to adopt to improve health and to which lines of expenditure to invest more financial resources, are some of the questions that consumers in Central America are asking in the context of the new normal.
The covid-19 outbreak generated a revolution in the markets of Central America and its different economic sectors.
Foods whose properties and benefits are well defined, and are produced by companies with sustainable practices, have the greatest potential to gain ground in a market that has been rapidly transformed.
Although in recent weeks’ e-commerce and analysis of how consumers buy in times of quarantine has occupied most companies, there are other trends that could define the food market, once the most critical phases of the covid-19 outbreak are over.
From January to September 2019, Central American exports of vegetables totaled $159 million, 21% more than reported in the same period in 2018, a rise that is explained by the behavior of sales to companies in the United States.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graph"]
The world market for fresh and processed organic foods is one of the most dynamic today, with coffee, vegetables and tropical fruits being some of the products with the greatest business opportunities.
According to a study prepared by the Promotora de Comercio Exterior (Procomer), Switzerland is the market where the highest expenditure on organic food per person is reported, since it is estimated that consumption amounts to $325 per capita per year.
In Costa Rica, 15% of consumers show interest in seafood, and about 40% of them are between 31 and 45 years old, and have a high level of purchasing power.
An analysis of consumer interests and preferences in Costa Rica, prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, yields interesting results on the characteristics of people who show interest in different types of food.