Lentil burgers, soy meat, chia sausages, oregano and basil, or fried are some of the options offered by Ecuadorian brands that are dedicated to selling products for vegetarians, vegans, or simply those who like something different.
The increase in demand in the sector ranges between 10% and 40% during the pandemic. And many of these products are displayed in the main supermarket chains in the country.
As is the case with Cordon Green, a family business located in Quito that manufactures products based on vegetable protein. Deputy manager Paola Molina says that the business started 13 years ago as a result of her father's pre-infarction, which caused her to change her lifestyle.
And given the few options on the market, they decided to create gluten-free quinoa medallions, bean burgers, and other products that are now offered in 52 supermarkets.
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"It was for a health issue that came to vegetarianism and then my mother," says Molina, who also changed the way she eats.
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Cordon Green started with nine product varieties and now has 18. They posted a 10% sales increase in 2020 compared to 2019.
"It increased because people realized that COVID-19 made us compromise our health and we realized that we were not eating well," Molina boasts.
With this agrees Francisco Hoyos, president of Vgano, a company also under the same line of products. He believes that the increase is also due to the awareness of respect for the ecosystem.
“The main concept is a cause of how to avoid animal abuse, it is what moves us, to replace animal protein in dishes with high-quality vegetable protein. While we respect the lives of other beings, we take care of our own,” he says.
Vgano has been on the market for 15 years and has grown between 35% and 40%. They make pizzas, cheeses, desserts, sausages and others. All plant-based and gluten-free.
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They are found in specialized stores and have made shipments nationwide.
With the pandemic, home delivery from orders placed on social networks also increased, which is why Hoyos considers that this tool was key to the growth of the company. "Customers couldn't go and they placed orders with us and we put together a delivery," he says.
Nueva Vida is another company and it is located in the south of Guayaquil. They have been around for 25 years and have 18 varieties of products such as sausages and soy-based meats. They distribute to supermarkets, restaurants or health food stores.
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Vanessa Bermúdez owns the company and affirms that her clients are varied, although there is a greater presence of young people.
“It's not just the act of becoming a vegetarian but eating different things. For example, products for people with gluten allergies, sausages and chickpea sausages with broad beans or mushrooms, soy cheese, ”she explains.
Despite the fact that some of its distributors closed, the company managed to maintain itself through delivery.
Nueva Vida ships nationwide and its products have reached the Galapagos.
And although not everything turned out well for certain companies, they have tried to maintain themselves and not decline as is the case with Eco Love, an Ecopacific brand. They have been around since 2018 and have a portfolio of 42 products such as cheeses, yogurt, pizzas, meatballs, the same ones that are exhibited on an exclusive hanger for this healthy line.
Jorge Vasco, commercial manager of Ecopacific, mentions that sales fell by 20% in the pandemic, but they are recovering satisfactorily.
"Our line was not an exception to the pandemic, we fell in sales by 20%, but it has been recovering little by little and we have tried to develop new products," he says, adding that they are innovating to overcome the mishap.
For this reason, in mid-June they will launch vegan chocolate, red fruit and almond ice creams.
“(Innovation) is something that characterizes us. (The pandemic) has helped us develop more products,” he notes.
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Cordon Green also analyzes creating other products such as snacks by 2022; Vgano is working to expand under franchises; and Nueva Vida wants to create a virtual space for the elaboration of recipes with its products.
Everyone believes that vegetarian and vegan products are going to be maintained out of respect for animals or for health.
Healthy products or intended for those who practice vegetarianism and veganism are also displayed in fairs, specialized stores or mini-supermarkets.
As in the Molienda Organic Market, in Urdesa. This business has been exhibiting natural, artisanal products for four years and 90% is nationally produced.
Paula Molina is the owner and on the site she shows more than 100 products from different brands, some are her own and others are from entrepreneurs.
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“We have our own farm and it is aimed at people who want to eat healthy. We have products such as vegetables, fruits, butter, vegan meats, vegetarians, frozen foods such as pizza, ice cream, natural cosmetics, ”she explains.
2020 was a good year and it premiered with home delivery. Molina expects to expand her store to have a greater variety of products.
Meanwhile, Alpeso is an eco-healthy store or mini-supermarket, two years old, that also exhibits vegan or vegetarian brands. The peculiarity is that they sell the product in bulk, says co-founder Mónica Torres.
Like honey, grains, pasta, nuts, seeds, cereals, flour, among others.
Torres explains that the pandemic caused customers to buy less, but also that their acceptance expanded, which she, in her opinion, compensated for.
“We were one of the few businesses that opened in the pandemic and it was an opportunity to make ourselves known. Many people did not want to go to the supermarket. (...) It is noticeable that customers buy less, but the fact of making us known has helped us to have more customers and with that compensate for the reduction of our customers who continue to return, but are seeing more of their pocket, ”she explains. .
But the products are not only displayed in stores or mini-supermarkets, but also in fairs such as those held by Vegan Day. Its creator, Karina Reyes, says that they have had this initiative for four years and they hope to carry out the next one in August.
The events bring together about 35 brands of natural, organic products that do not come from animal origin.
"With this event, we make people aware of the different brands that are exhibited and we also help people learn about alternatives for natural consumption that do not affect the ecosystem," she says. (I)
