Ricardo Oteros, Director General of Supracafé: “ The aid of CDTI Innovation have been instrumental in our processes of innovation ”
With only 38 employees, his dream was to convert the coffee in a product with numerous gourmet foods. Today Supracafé has succeeded in positioning themselves, with a constant commitment to technology, as one of the most innovative companies in spain. In this innovative process has benefited from the collaboration of CDTI Innovation
In 1990 Ricardo Oteros, Vicente Arregui and Raúl Gil created the first spanish toaster in selling exclusively 100% arabica coffees Supracafé called.
To Ricardo Oteros, Director-General, the beginnings were not easy. During these past decades the commitment of this sme with sustainability based on that has taken a number of fruit for the company that offers 120 hectares of cultivation and grown more than 200 varieties in his estate of Popayán (Colombia).
In 2015 created Tecnicafé, the first scientific, technological and innovation of Colombia, this farm.
The main products of the company are the high-quality coffees among which was its 100% Colombia, cultivated in livestock, and organic coffee and fair trade produced by the association of women Caficultoras del Cauca.
The coffee Sector
The coffee sector is in the process of growth, especially the cafés with multiple properties that are sold in new products such as the capsules or new drinks such as coffee cold (cold brew)
In Spain, the industrial sector of the café is made up of about 300 companies of different sizes: from multinational groups, even small regional and local companies.
According to the spanish association of coffee in 2022 in our country produced 210,000 tons of coffee and toast and 75,000 tons were exported.
Why is it decided to create Supracafé?
After two years working in the guild of Colombia and drinking coffee formándome, decided, together with two companions Vincent Arregui and Raúl Gil, a market survey to analyse the feasibility of launching a high-quality coffee in the spanish market. The results showed that a niche in this segment are therefore tabling a business plan that gave rise to the constitution, in 1990,Supracaféwith the participation of caficultores cooperatives of Colombia who hired the high-quality coffee by ensuring their traceability.
Main objectives
Currently, one of the priority objectives of Supracafé is to consolidate its model of generation of value based on the integration of the production chain, innovation in products and processes and on sustainability. Throughout this process have collaborated, sometimes Multiscan Mode with companies such as Technologies and also with the advice and financingCDTI Innovation.
With a turnover of more than 8 million per year of 99.5% comes from the internal market, the company is positioned at the luxury HORECA sector (restaurants, hotels, cafés, etc.) and gourmet food.
What is the business strategy for the next few years?
We are engaged in continuous technological innovation and for this every year we spend almost 3 per cent of our turnover in r & D. This is our passion: obtain maximum quality products and participate in the entire production process: sowing, cultivating, harvesting and distribution of coffee. We must not forget that we are one of the few companies in the sector producing their own raw materials.
In this way, we guarantee that at all stages there is a strict control and this makes us worthy of the trust of our clients.
Furthermore, we have long developing, validating and applying technologies that allow us to improve the quality of output, obtain added value products, such as are the hulls and mucilages and also reduce the environmental impact.
Therefore, our strategy for the coming years is based on further growth in other countries in the segment of high quality, as we continue to do so in Spain, poland and Slovakia, the differential value factors of our brand as are the internal production, innovation in processes and sustainability.
Technological developments
In addition to its innovative trajectory, Supracafé has invested in some start-ups as ICZIA Ingeniering, which have developed an innovative coffee pulping which allows individual despulpado coffee cherries, without the use of water, and gets the shell of coffee in optimal conditions for use as food.
In recent years, have managed to obtain products with properties?
Coffee products have a huge fiber content and antioxidants and are increasingly known its multiple applications with benefits for saldud. Through the Teratrofo, in which we are together with other companies and institutions, we are looking for food supplements and compounds that have a positive impact on the treatment of colorectal cancer screening.
In addition, we have also developed new products such as tea coffee bean Tabifruit.
What technological developments are currently making?
We are now working on projects for the control of the fermentation of coffee and other issues related to the improvement of the processes of selection and search for components of this food products.
Among some of the objectives that this company is supposed to achieve new lines of roasting of high quality what improvements achieved to date?
We have worked with roast curves looking for the best content in melanoidinas antioxidant and because of its beneficial effects on health. In addition to a high-quality product sensory, always looking for healthier effects.
Furthermore, we are also monitoring, through the projects of research and innovation that have been developing with the help of CDTI innovation, many of these effects in alcoholic arising from the shell of coffee.
As discussed previously, i would like to stress that years ago that we have been working together withTechnologies Multiscan modeto adapt and develop advanced technologies to coffee production in farm. There are already several projects that we have developed. The Latter is scheduled for completion by 2024 and focuses on the selection, despulpado and controlled fermentation of the fruits of coffee, very focused on sustainable production and use of by-products. In this case, we have also benefited from the advice and financial support from the CDTI Innovation.
I would like to point out that the objectives of various projects of innovation that we develop are manifold. Firstly, it is to enhance the quality of coffee through selection processes and the treatment of the fruit and, through new technologies will also seek to reduce water footprint. At present, we are considering working with Honduras and Guatemala in the validation and development of these projects.
Finally, they have also developed with the help of CDTI Innovation a new type of gourmet coffee with melanoidinas tecnofuncionales improved properties were obtained after its development?
Through this project we have been able to work and develop specific roast curves with a dual objective. To improve the organoleptic profile and maximize the positive effect melanoidinas. Furthermore, we have expanded in the knowledge of the processes of roast we do.
How does the policy to assist companies that carries out the CDTI?
For us subsidiesCDTI Innovationhave been instrumental in our innovation processes. Thanks to the funding received have been able to develop projects that are helping us from creating new products to participate in more ambitious programmes in collaboration with other companies.
Finally, how does the further evolution of the coffee sector in a few years?
Coffee production is sofisticando and is opening up many opportunities for all points of candena, starting with the production of new processes, varieties and farming systems, through the development of new products in the form of capsules, or drink like coffee cold (Cold Brew) in the market.
Moreover, the new products will be increasingly healthy and sustainable. Its organoleptic characteristics will be increasingly varied and consistent and you will enjoy great cafes in all categories: fruity, achocolatados, floral, nut, spicy, etc.
CDTIInnovation
The CDTI Innovation is the agency for financing innovation of the ministry of science, innovation and universities that promotes innovation and technological development of spanish companies, channeling requests for funding and support for r & D & I projects of spanish entities at the state and international levels. We Contribute to the improvement of the technological level of spanish companies and drive and, with an international network with coverage of 51 countries support the spanish participation in international programmes for technology cooperation and the international transfer of technology. The CDTI also supports the creation and consolidation of technology-based enterprises in Spain.
The centre for technological development and innovation, E.P.E. (CDTI) is a public entity under the ministry of Science, innovation and universities.
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