Vida Económica

November — 2011

“We have products from all the regions in Portugal and we give priority to smaller producers”

Normally we only value what we have when we lose it. That’s what happened with Adriano Ribeiro, commercial airline pilot who lived abroad for a while. At that time, he missed some products that were typically Portuguese.

This need, together with the awareness that some traditional products from other countries had an appealing market, gave rise to an idea that Adriano had already been brewing in his mind for some time – to create a range of traditional quality products that had a modern and striking image. Thus, José Gourmet is born in 2008.The start of this adventure happened with a product from Azeitão because its producer was a friend. The most recent bet this company made was on Portuguese preserves. ARTE was the name chosen for the collection of tinned food with a traditional format but a contemporary image.

The illustrator Gémeo Luís who from the start has collaborated with Adriano Ribeiro in the development of the products’ image, challenged 11 colleagues to reinvent the image of the cans. André Letria, Marta Madureira, Cristina Valadas, Teresa Lima, Madalena Matoso joined the house designer. Together they decorated the «oldies», the traditional cans, transforming them in twenty-first century products.

But this project was also joined by Chef Luis Baena, who prepared recipes for adults and children. These are included in the packages and show different ways you can prepare sardines, squids and canned tuna. «Chef Luís Baena has a broad expertise in this sector», claims Pedro, Adriano’s son and who is currently responsible for the company, since Adriano has kept his career as an airline pilot.

But this reinvention of national products is not limited to cheese or preserves. Also olive oil bottles, vinegars and liqueurs can be stacked. Designed with a hollow bottom, these bottles can be piled up because the bottlenecks will fit into the hollow bottoms. “I believe it is important to show that with some innovation it is possible to create different things with Portuguese products”, says Pedro Ribeiro.  The company’s activity focuses solely on the development of the package and image of the products and their commercialisation. The success of this business resides first and foremost on the quality of the products and on the relationship with the different producers. “We have products from all over the country and our preference goes to smaller producers”, says Pedro Ribeiro. “For example, as far as wines are concerned, we work with low production producers, who make ten to 20 thousand bottles a year. Thus, we have an almost exclusive product”, adds the entrepreneur.

This is a truly advantageous partnership for both of us since it guarantees the quality and exclusiveness of the brand, while simultaneously enabling the producers to place their products in the market, which otherwise would be impossible.

The close relationship between José Gourmet and its partners also occurs at the level of new product development, allowing the suppliers themselves to make use of their know-how in their own brands.

José Gourmet products are present in fine groceries all over the country where quality and originality are a distinctive factor. “We worry about having the best, even if the profit margins are still small. We keep pursuing the fair trade policy”, states Adriano Ribeiro, further adding that their preferential market and even the foreign market where there is “saudade” for Portuguese products and the greatest purchasing power. At the moment, we have already expanded to the Czech Republic and Luxembourg. Under the designation “Take away Portugal”, cheeses, olive oils, vinegars, wines, liqueurs, preserves, jams and other products are exported. “Inside the Take away Portugal brand, we want to create Take away Açores and Take Away Douro. Well, the idea is to use the brand and apply it to all the different regions and inside the broad brand term, to include all the products from each region», claims Pedro.

“The preferential market and even the foreign market where there is “saudade” for Portuguese products and the greatest purchasing power”, states Adriano Ribeiro, the mentor of José Gourmet.

“In our company [José Gourmet] we are developing new products and broadening our sales network. “

Vida Económica – What are José Gourmet’s projects for the future?

Adriano Ribeiro – We are developing new products and expanding our sales network. We started exporting this year and we have already reached eight countries. We are going to internationalise even more. We will sell to the point of exhaustion and our main goal is to have a trading of products from Portugal, selling in hotels in an innovative way, developing integrated sales concepts.
Outside José Gourmet, we will be participating in new projects, in the development of new businesses in the area of merchandising and design (from Portugal), taking advantage of the great opportunities of having had a unique DNA for 500 years. Soon we will be participating in a new and original business with great potential. Similarly to what we did in the past with preserves, we aim to develop ‘blue ocean’ strategies for other activity sectors. Soaps, pencils, cork, furniture, jewellery are good examples of areas where we may be in the future as consultants and promoters.

VE – In what way will the situation of severe crisis in our country affect your project and your plans for the future?

AR – We try not to think about the crisis. Our sales have tripled and we are reaching exponential growth. We are in the right place at the right time. Buying Portugal, quality, handmade products, fair trade, generosity, design, innovation, we don’t live off subsidies nor do we look for them. These are concepts that we have had since we started and now they are valued. The world is not going back to the Stone Age. We see the opportunity to reinvent and create value in many businesses. That is where we concentrate our energies.

VE – What advice would you give to those who are now forced to be enterprising in order to overcome the situation we are currently going through?

AR – To be enterprising is both stressful and gratifying. Many ‘forced’ entrepreneurs will be very happy in the future. To be able to travel, conquer the world, observe, study, work hard and involve new people (gain scale) are some of the activities we practise and recommend to our children. We would recommend them to everyone.