Growth and innovation, factors to link companies with success

Mario Bermúdez

El Financiero

The success formula has different components, but in the food industry the formula has to include sustainable growth.

To keep up with the growing competition nationally and internationally, the alternative is to take one step ahead: we have to innovate, anticipate customer wishes, and develop new products.

From the experiences of different successful companies in the sector arise strategies to survive and grow in such a competitive environment (see box: “good…”).

The importance of traces

With this outlook, it is increasingly difficult to certify the path of products (traceability) and their safety, and the guarantees of an increasingly strict management are key success factors in the horizon, but this is also expensive.

But, it also encourages alternative solutions. The National Food Science and Technology Center (CITA) and Aura Interactiva developed a training program on food safety on the Internet.

This Alliance, promoted by Proinnova from the UCR, allows entrepreneurs to use e-Learning to update personnel knowledge on food handling, but they do not have to leave this office to be trained.

There are new winds blowing. The innovation that characterizes leading companies is also a requirement in the food industry.

Good practices

There are some recurring aspects in successful experiences:

•    Innovate: The main factor; we have to look for a way to keep growing.
•    Seek alliances: The new competition schemes make us think about them.
•    Good links: We have to look for links in the company and other productive sectors.
•    Analyze markets: Producing is not enough; we have to be familiar with the markets and try to look for opportunities.
•    Plan: We have to complement a fast response with a strategic planning.