News

Mercabarna: international reference point

A delegation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the organisation that checks the safety of food, veterinary and medical products, visited Mercabarna on 6 March. Accompanied by representatives from the Catalan Food Safety Agency, the Mercabarna-based heads of the Barcelona Public Health Agency and the food estate’s managers, the visitors were shown the different health activities and checks performed in the Central Markets and in other businesses at the estate.

Good Commercial Practices Code: Taskforces Making Steady Progress

The different institutions and organisations with a major role in the agrofood chain that form the Good Commercial Practices Code, including Mercabarna and the Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Dealers Association (AGEM), continue to work to define specific initiatives that will make it possible to improve sector operations and relations among the different agents in the chain.

Rise in Fresh Produce Donation to the Food Bank

Mercabarna companies donated over 8% more fresh produce to the Food Bank in the first half of 2012 than the same period last year. Altogether, 243,923 kg of fruit and vegetables were contributed, along with 2,149 kg of fish.

Sustainability, One of the Challenges for Wholesale Markets Around the World

The Managing Director of Mercabarna, Josep Tejedo, and the Director of Industry and Services, Lluís Alberich, attended the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) Conference held in Berlin from 22 to 25 May. Environmental and sustainability initiatives were the central themes of the event, which brought together 170 international professionals.

Visit by a Delegation from a Brazilian State

To find out more about Mercabarna’s experience in creating clusters, on 11 June a delegation from the government of the Brazilian state of Mina Gerais and the Directors of the wholesale market in the capital visited the Food Unit.

Josep Tejedo: "We have to accept and face the changes taking place in the food chain"

Josep Tejedo, Mercabarna managing director for the past three months, will bring his professional experience in the private sector to the public company. In this interview, the new managing director looks at the main challenges he faces as head of Mercabarna.

Training and Internationalisation: Lines of Action for Foodservice Businesses

Two months on from the foodservice sector’s Strategic Immersion Congress, organised by the Barcelona Food Cluster Association and ACC1Ó and held in Món Sant Benet in the Bages region, around a dozen of the businesses that took part have met again to define specific actions based on the strategic challenges agreed on at the Congress.

Joan Llonch Re-elected Chair of ASSOCOME

On 22 May, businessman Joan Llonch was unanimously re-elected chair of the Mercabarna Concessionaires’ Association (ASSOCOME) for the fourth consecutive term. Casimiro Llorens, chair of the Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers’ Association, Leandre Serra, chair of the Fish Wholesalers’ Association, and Antonio Manzano, manager of Frimercat, were also re-elected to their vice-chair posts. Miguel López, from Moray Fish, makes his debut as Association secretary.

New fresh-produce projects and innovations at Alimentaria

Lettuces sold with the root intact, banana crisps, new packaging that boosts tuna and fresh mushroom consumption, innovative meat dishes…these are some of the new products that the 15 Mercabarna businesses which took part in Alimentaria promoted at the fair. Mercabarna also decided to take part in the fair again, this time presenting two initiatives aimed at boosting the Catalan food sector.

International Visits as Part of Alimentaria

Throughout March, numerous agrofood institutions and professionals from around the world made the most of being in Barcelona for the Alimentaria fair to visit Mercabarna and learn first-hand about its management model and the way it operates.

Distinguished Authorities Visit Mercabarna Area at Alimentaria

The Mercabarna stand became one of the points of interest during the opening day of Alimentaria of the tour that a retinue of distinguished authorities took around the fair’s facilities.

Víctor Noguer: "The goal is to win the loyalty of strategic customers and grow with them"

With a degree in Business Administration, Mr Noguer is a professor in the Marketing Management Department at ESADE Business School and runs a company in the communications sector. On 13 March he gave a course in Mercabarna in which he explained a number of key points about how a company can manage its customer portfolio more effectively.

Barcelona Food Cluster Association: New website and logo

The Barcelona Food Cluster Association has had its own online calling card since March. The website www.clusteralimentari.cat is a portal for promoting the Association’s work and goals, as well as the businesses and institutions that belong to it.

New Mercasa Chair

Eduardo Ameijide y Montenegro has been the new chair of Mercasa since 30 January, after taking over from Ignacio Cruz Roche.

Strategic Customer Management Course

Around 30 company and marketing managers from firms inside and outside Mercabarna attended a course entitled “Strategic Customer Management” organised by the Barcelona Food Cluster Association and held on 13 March.