EL PILÓN spoke to Gustavo Tome, a pure gastronomic marketing consultant from Argentina. For over 25 years, For me He offers lectures and accompanies eating places in useful resource optimization, meeting, advertising and marketing and chain growth, amongst others.
Gustavo Tome It is inside Valledupar as a result of this Wednesday he’ll give a speech to the town’s eating places which can be linked to the Colombian affiliation of the gastronomic business, Acodesthere Membership Valledupar, from 5 within the afternoon.
In these years of consulting, what have instances of disaster taught you?
Crises are alternatives for some, crucial for others. It’s obscure them and the gastronomic is typically dependable. They’re a giant drawback for individuals who assume they are going to go shortly and won’t change or renew. In truth, the discuss goals to provide instruments to native entrepreneurs to plan their companies.
We’re coming from a tough 2023, and 2024 is getting worse in numbers. Anybody who would not change can have a tough 12 months.
We’re within the season of inflation: how will it have an effect on eating places?
If one sees the inflation curve, in idea it has fallen as much as 9 factors in Colombia, however particularly in meals this isn’t true. This inequality has resulted in meals inflation of 37% within the final semester of 2023, which compelled many eating places to extend the worth as much as 3 times in a single semester, which didn’t occur years in the past in Colombia.
That enhance within the worth of meals makes it costly to exit. As well as, households have much less margin to spend on gastronomy as a result of the home market is dearer.
I’m lucky to work all through Latin America and these issues are right here to remain: local weather change, the long-lasting El Niño phenomena, amongst others.
Subsequently, meals manufacturing is dearer and on the identical time there are locations on the planet that need our meals. A producer prefers to promote meat for five {dollars} in India, than for two in Colombia.
What ought to eating places do?
The very first thing is to grasp the state of affairs and that this isn’t non permanent. The following step is to revamp the supply. It means working a bit to get the center out. Many house owners are afraid to vary that iconic dish that has introduced them success for a few years.
For the proprietor, the dish is sort of a son, and much more so when it brings success. But when we have a look at the numbers, many of those ships trigger losses. If they do not redesign it, that plate goes to interrupt.
I am not improper: that occurs in 8 out of each 10 eating places I evaluation. They can not reshape it as a result of they put their coronary heart into it. However the redesign is just not solely about altering the plate, a advertising and marketing technique can also be wanted, displaying the brand new plate to the shopper.
On this sector, virtually 85% of meals is imported. What does that embody?
Speaking in regards to the blows that the federal government is giving to the sector, they’ve already confirmed that two will increase in diesel are coming. There will likely be a larger enhance in value in cities like Valledupar, removed from meals manufacturing.
The availability drawback has a stronger impact on greens. In different cities with these identical issues, governments, unions, and academies have come collectively to do hydroponics.
This has solved 80% of the issue. On this sizzling nation, hydroponics may cut back meals prices and take some from different areas to plant.
As a result of water is the world’s drawback, not land. Gastronomy focuses on sustainability. We as a division can not throw away 30% of the purchases. Why hold peeling the potato if the vitamin is there? Companies that don’t take into consideration sustainability are certain to fail.
By way of taxes, there are new challenges for restaurant house owners in Colombia
There will likely be a giant change as a result of digital accounts will likely be required. It is going to be earlier than and after. Many casual companies will go bankrupt as a result of when they’re taxed they won’t be worthwhile.
Most casual companies work as a result of they promote cheaper. When your flip involves pay taxes, you have to enhance the deduction by 25%. It is going to be a chance for already registered manufacturers.
Out of your expertise, how do you analyze the Authorities’s measures?
It is a Authorities that desires to gather cash from all sides. It’s a difficult 12 months. Final 12 months they put the tax on soybeans, however Acodres was in a position to reverse it, however then the tax got here on those that had been charged and now a rise in cost Sena employees. The Authorities is just not serving to the division in any respect.
The right way to be worthwhile, providing a great dish and aggressive dimension?
I’ve purchasers with a turnover of 20 million {dollars} a 12 months and with strains of their companies, which promote typical meals. However generally these plates weigh 1 and a half kilos. The nutritionist tells you that 700 grams is the utmost.
They’re promoting a plate for 3 folks. Many eat the entire thing, however extra is thrown away. There are revenue issues there.
How is the gastronomy sector when it comes to labor?
Folks do not wish to work in eating places. We now have been continuously migrating to america and Europe for 2 years, partly as a result of our tradition has not modified.
It is easy: if I took a gross sales course, why do I’ve to scrub bogs. Earlier than, folks labored otherwise, younger folks do not wish to clear bogs anymore. As well as, we punish the nice folks. If it really works nicely, we double its actions, with out interruption. Folks choose to give up.
And robotization?
The personalization of consideration in gastronomy and inventive cooking has not modified with the machine. There are already robots that deliver and take away and others are dedicated to self-service, however folks nonetheless wish to be taught the historical past of that dish. Gastronomy is tradition: consuming in a metropolis I turn into cultured with historical past.
Profitable expertise within the gastronomic sector to use in Valledupar…
In Valledupar there could be about 800 or 1,000 eating places, whereas in Acoderes there are solely about 100 members. All sustainability and price enchancment initiatives is not going to be achieved except they’re bundled collectively. There’s a lack of belief within the metropolis. If they aren’t gathered collectively, they are going to by no means be capable to affect the initiatives.
The right way to promote gastronomic tourism?
When cities notice that gastronomy is a part of their identification, they are going to begin to develop within the quick and medium time period. Peru is an instance. They caught ceviche, gave it worth, and now 40% of the vacationers who go to the nation accomplish that for its gastronomy.
Colombia is doing nicely, however the identification is lacking. When you ask in regards to the typical meals of the nation, a debate will start. Identification should be outlined.
By Davis Caro
