Spanish retailer Eroski increased its purchases of local products from agri-food producers in the Basque Country by 8% last year, purchasing more than €205 million worth of products.
The company's business model focuses on sourcing food from local producers and aims to promote a wide variety of products, supporting the economy, culture, and landscape of each area in which it operates.
Basque Country
Eroski works with nearly 300 small agri-food producers in the Basque Country to source up to approximately 9,000 items. The products have a prominent space in its stores, especially seasonal fruit and vegetables, the retailer said.
Eroski maintained a number of collaborations during 2020, including with the Regulatory Council of the Bizkaiko Txakolina Denomination of Origin to promote the sale of txakoli in the territory of Bizkaia.
The retailer also has an agreement with the DO Euskal Sagardoa to promote cider produced with apples grown in the Basque Country, while its collaboration with the Rioja Alavesa Winery Association focuses on the development and promotion of Rioja Alavesa wine, under which wine sales increased by 30%.
The chain also saw sales of Basque Country vegetables grow by 20% since it began its local vegetable plan in 2019.
Local Commitment
Asun Bastida, commercial director of local products, Eroski, said, "Our commitment to local products increases every year, as evidenced by the increase in our purchases from Basque producers. Thus, the wide range of local and fresh seasonal products has become one of the main hallmarks of our stores."
The retailer also increased purchases of agri-food products from the Navarra region by 16%, from the Aragon region by 18%, and from the La Rioja region by 24%, as pat of its commitment to local producers.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Conor Farrelly. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
