31 July 2007: Project of cluster of distribution of nutritious foods in Mercamadrid International

             Since the end of February 2007, we are working in the project, which consists on the definition and the reinforcement of the Cluster of the “Wholesaler’s Distribution of Fruits and Vegetables, Fish and Meat of Madrid”, promoted by Mercamadrid International, collecting like that the demands transmitted by representatives of the different sectors established in Mercamadrid.

            A cluster (according to Michael Porter’s definition), is a phenomenon of geographic concentration of companies, institutions and association of a same activity, connected with common and complementary/accessory interests, that reinforce their competitiveness. The increase in the competitiveness is produced by the interrelations that the different agents might establish between themselves.

            Therefore, the purpose of the project which is being developed is to reinforce the competitiveness of the companies in the three cluster that are being defined (fruits, vegetables, fish and meat). The project is going to provide the companies of the tools sector a reflection about the successful potential strategies to develop in the sector, and involve a proactive attitude.

            The concerned agents, who are participating in the different job meetings, involve a representative number of companies and organizations which belong to all the collectives/groups who form part of the value chain of the sector:

-          Producers

-          Businessmen Wholesalers

-          Businessmen Retailer

-          Consumers

-          City council of Madrid

-          MERCASA

-          Logistic Operators

-          Mercamadrid International

Until the moment we have completed the following stages of the work:

-          Identification of the sources which are considered to provide relevant information and, based on them, we established a first vision of the agents who apparently comprise the clusters.

-          Analysis of the situation of the activity, (globally and nationally, with a study of the principal “macro-magnitudes” of the cluster), of the role of their different components/members and the tendencies of each sector.

-          Analysis of the concrete situation of the activity inside Madrid. For this aim, we have carried out an investigation with more than 40 deep interviews to public organizations, producers, consumers, associations, retailers and especially wholesalers of Madrid. We have extracted from these interviews the key factors of competitiveness, which can reinforce each sector.

-          We have defined the current situation of the activity in Madrid, its great magnitudes, the composition of the cluster in Madrid and the relations between the different agents.

During September a celebration of the different “workgroups” will be held, with the objective of treating those aspects that have been chosen and defined as strategic during the work done, because of their importance for the development of the activity.

The three “workgroups” have been announced/called, with the following contents:

Table 1/Workgroup 1: Infrastructures and Services of Added Value

1.      Constitution of the workgroup

2.      Aspects of the diagnosis related to the commercial contribution.

3.      Strategic lines in order to earn market share.

4.      First group of measures: services of added value (“telematic sales”, sharing out, development of IV and V range, payment methods…)

5.      Second group of measures: business infrastructure (improvement of the installations, occupational training, occupational relief, cooperation, support of the administrations in these interventions…)

6.      Third group of measures: optimization of Mercamadrid (logistics, access and traffic in the plant, use of common spaces, timetables/schedules, controls, information about prices, TIC in the market…)

7.      Conclusions

Table 2/Workgroup 2: Communication and brand

1.      Constitution of the workgroup

2.      Aspects of the diagnosis related to the brand image.

3.      Strategic lines in order to improve the image and perception.

4.      First group of measures: Promotion of the “merca” (direct promotions in the market, attendance in fairs/markets and assembly halls/auditorium, quality in general of the products of Mercamadrid, direct promotion with HORECA, large store, collective catering, supermarkets…)

5.      Second group of measures: brand image (collective brand of the wholesalers in Mercamadrid, own brand of each wholesaler, launch/impel of the brand by the great wholesalers, “sub-brands/second-brands” by categories, associate brand, health  and quality, quality controls…)

6.      Third group of measures: promotion of the consumption of fresh products (fruits and vegetables, fish and meat) with advertising campaigns, direct actions in schools, shopping centres, universities, workplaces, etc.

7.      Conclusions

Table 3/Workgroup 3: International Markets

This table/workgroup will be celebrated together with the members of the fruits and vegetables, fish and meat cluster.

1.      Constitution of the workgroup

2.      Aspects of the diagnosis related to the international markets.

3.      Strategic lines in order to improve the international positioning.

4.      First group of measures: business internalization, products import and export, implantation directly in external markets, by franchises or foreign members/partners, meetings with businessmen/wholesale companies from other markets, training in foreign commerce…

5.      Second group of measures: internalization of the “merca” (Mercamadrid as a integral choice/selection service and sending of products to international destinations, list of qualified wholesalers, international catalogue/catalog of buyers and salesmen in Mercamadrid.

6.      Conclusions

Schedule/Calendar of the workgroups/tables_

Place of celebration/holding: Economic Studies Institute

Castelló Street, 128-6ª Floor

                        Madrid

Those who are interested in participating in any of these tables/workgroups might address to mercamadrid@mercamadrid.es

                        (Contact person: Alberto Felipe)

Finally, it is planned to celebrate during October 2007 an act/ceremony/handing over/inauguration/the official opening/ribbon cutting ceremony of the Final Report of the Cluster, which will gather/collect all the results, description, diagnosis and launching of the project.