Semilla Nativa is a distributor of artisan organic products using the model of the local store. This social enterprise develops support tools for family-run farms and integrates end customers to change patters of consumption. They favor products with criteria of food sovereignty, seasonal production and fair trade.
The representative of this project in BBVA Momentum is María José Gil. She explains the principles of Semilla Nativa: "We support the principles of food sovereignty by an innovative model of production and marketing, a vehicle for environmental care, healthy food and social equity." However, this business also has a major impact in small towns: "We support the survival of the rural environment by providing products from family-run organic farms."
The methodology consists of treating suppliers, distributors and customers as part of a whole. "What's good for one part of the chain is good for the rest of the chain," explains María José. As merchants, they can provide advice from a privileged position to producers on how to match supply and demand, thus creating what is a unique offering in the market. They can also advise customers on criteria for consumption. This means both producers and customers win. All this is done using fair trade criteria, applied to customers and suppliers and generating ties of mutual learning.
Semilla Nativa has a network with more than 40 organic family-run farms distributed across the whole of Spain, with which it has a continuous and stable relationship based on fair trade criteria.
Its commercial strategy is based on a range of exclusive rural products: at least 20 fresh organic products are sold that are not found in other stores in Madrid, thanks to planning sowings with the producer families.
It has managed to maintain a product range in which 90% is constructed as a short marketing chain that eliminates inefficient intermediaries in the chain. This results in a competitive offering in which fair prices can be maintained for suppliers.
This company has systematized its methodology with a commitment to purchases, purchase of seeds to adapt the supply to product demand, planning of sowings, and other pilot practices with suppliers that are extending to all the work with family-run farms.
It has managed to change patterns of consumption, as a growing number of customers demand more information on seasonal products, and the origin and nutritional qualities of products in general, whether on sale or not.
In addition, it constructs and maintains collaborative economy networks with numerous social actors. This makes it easier to transmit the values of food sovereignty, fair trade and healthy food to society in the neighborhoods with Semilla Nativa stores.
3 March 2017
Saraiva Senior: “We want to turn the care home concept on its head, we want to be disruptive in our sector and innovate”
Nobody wants to go into a care home. Based on this premise, Saraiva Senior, a project by Sacendi (a social and healthcare company that provides integrated services for the elderly in Pontevedra), aims to implement a new approach to care for the elderly. The company, a participant in BBVA Momentum, BBVA’s support program aimed at
15 February 2017
An introduction to the Momentum companies that are coming up with innovative solutions to everyday challenges
Momentum, BBVA’s program in support of social entrepreneurship, is today a benchmark in the sector. Since its first edition in 2011, it has driven the expansion process of 56 companies with high social impact in Spain, 30 in Mexico and six in Peru. Many of them have succeeded in making a niche for themselves in