At MadeinSpain.store we have it very clear. Europe is the ideal market for our quality Spanish gastronomic products. I'll just give you one piece of information: 85% of the people who visited us as tourists in 2019 came from Europe.
Almost 84 million people came to visit us in 2019. It seems like it was a dream, and that really happened… just less than two years ago. Now, those figures seem unthinkable for 2021, 2022 or I do not know when they can be achieved again. It may take us longer than what the political upstarts who know nothing but say about everything tell us because we give them the opportunity to do so.
If we break down the data of the tourists who came to Spain in 2019, they are verifiable data because they are the official Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Government from Spain, we can see that 85% (yes, 85) of the people came from Europe. That means nothing more and nothing less than 70 million tourists They were in Spain and with their ID or passport, without a visa (except in some cases such as Russia, which we have included as Europe since it is considered as such in this type of classifications).
Opportunity that we must not miss
Now in the “new reality”, these figures are a pure chimera to get them back in the short term, therefore, producers of Spanish gourmet products, we must forget about the Horeca channel as the savior of our accounts and our stock. It will be one more channel, but not the only one. And are we going to give up a minimum market of 70 million that came to Spain in 2019, and which is next door?
To make decisions, the data is essential, and the data that we provide you are resounding and incontestable. And we tell you from MadeinSpain.store, that we only have 7 months of life, and our main client you are already the non-resident in Spain. They love our country and of course, our gastronomy. And when they meet new products, knowing that their quality is maximum, they are not afraid to try them. It is nice to see that in Italy, France or Germany They enjoy the products that we offer them, and that we meet their quality requirements.
Very favorable geographical and technological framework
Rudder changes or turns are always difficult to take. And even more so when we have had fairly easy marketing of our products in the domestic market. Only the brave and visionaries internationalized and reap the fruits of their efforts. But, the current scenario goes beyond internationalization. You must know the brand by the end consumer, so that their products are demanded precisely because of the value of their brand. And for this there is only one solution: work on the value of the brand by creating attractive content to seduce the market.
Before, that tourists did not come to visit us, it could be a catastrophe for the Spanish gastronomic market, but now it is not. We can access this potential consumer thanks to the internet, there are no barriers like in the old days. Doing communication campaigns towards them, and making ourselves visible is essential today. Therefore, our website must be in at least another language, English (and well translated, done by a professional), to open ourselves to the non-Spanish-speaking market. We have to be aware that there are people who can buy our products in those countries, but who simply don't know us, that's why they don't, and for our part, we can change that trend.
And it is not an immediate job, it needs a routine, an essential constancy so that the message reaches the potential client correctly.
In addition, the consumer, and this is very important, accepts quality above all else, that means even that he can accept the surcharge of the shipment. This is one of the resistances that is being reduced thanks to the fact that the prices of shipments are cheaper every day and certainly, when a purchase of this type is made, and the client has more information about the products, their purchase is of greater amount. So the shipping price is not seen as a problem, especially when the final price of the product is set from Spain, and thus the increases for distribution do not exist either. This is undoubtedly one of the strengths of selling online to Europe, although agreements with stores in those countries may also be proposed for their commercialization. But that step can and should come from brand recognition online. In this way, we will know that we are doing things well because our brand is being recognized in the new markets where we are operating.
AUTHOR: Israel Romero is the CEO of MadeinSpain.store and Romero Premium Networking. A lover of Spanish gastronomy, one of his wishes is to help place it at the top of the world pedestal. The lack of pedagogy and adequate dissemination means that we have to strive to communicate more and better. And he will do it until he gets it.
In short, Europe is our natural market and we must get closer to it as soon as possible, convinced, of course, that it is our real market. The numbers support it, now it is time to make the great effort to believe and work to be recognized. On MadeinSpain.store We believe it, we enjoy it and we can help you achieve it, Spanish producers.
If we don't communicate how good we are, and the great products we have, no one will look for us for it, the sales will become a simple fact of fortune and of no control, exposed to circumstances such as the one that has brought the pandemic. And as long as we can get ahead of it, we will be more attractive than the competition.
AUTHOR: Israel Romero, CEO of Made in Spain Gourmet.
