Kimun Biotec, the Chilean biotechnological SME founded in 2019 by the Pulgar family, focused on the development of infusions and functional foods based on research into active compounds from native species, celebrated the completion of its first export, which was destined for the market. Canadian, specifically the Province of Quebec.
Moisés Pulgar, general manager of the technology-based company, explained that the shipment left last March and that at the beginning of April the products were picked up in Montreal for distribution and marketing on the east coast. Specifically, these are infusions and mass consumption products developed from boldo, culén, palo negro and maqui leaf, such as multivitamins with aqueous and powder extracts, that is, functional shots or “droplets” and capsules.
The entrepreneur stated that the company, which was recently visited by the Minister of Science, Aisén Etcheverry, is experiencing a process of growth of its structure, in line with Kimun’s expansion plans, both nationally and internationally, and already has with 15 workers.
He explained that the interest in external markets “has been happening for some time, to be able to cover new markets due to the regulation and deregulation of Chile, where we are not allowed to market our products as functional foods. “So, we started looking outward.” Thus, they hired a representative to enter the Canadian market, where they already have their first distributor and are currently present in seven health food stores in Montreal.
He noted that, in the case of maqui leaf extract, they are working in a “virtuous alliance” with Biociclo Chile, another local technology-based SME that has the largest maqui plantation in Chile, in Coihueco.
He also announced that they are already planning the next shipment to Canada, next May, with the aim of replenishing stocks; and in June they plan to arrive in Vancouver, on the west coast of Canada, with the same range of products.
Gustavo Calderón, commercial manager of Kimun Biotec, contextualized that, “in the expansion plans, we selected markets and prioritized, and the first was Canada (the second was the United States).” Along these lines, he indicated that they are entering the United States through a marketplace model, to offer their products in the main online retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart online.
In this regard, Pulgar argued that “in Canada there is a regulated market, we can name health benefits, which cannot be done in Chile; and there is a clear regulation on how to register developed products, a process that we are carrying out in the case of developed products; Another advantage is that there is a critical mass of consumers who allocate part of their budget to natural health.”
Along these lines, he pointed out that, in Chile, there is a regulatory vacuum on functional products. “We cannot declare the beneficial health properties of the products that we have,” indicated the general manager, “which limits us greatly, in fact, we cannot call them functional products, we cannot say that boldo does good for the liver, that forced us to develop multivitamins, for which there is a category in Chile.”
“There is a big gap,” Pulgar continued, “we are very committed to this in Chile, and there has been a project for many years. In fact, during the minister’s visit last week, we made her see this problem and she also committed to to pull the strings that she can pull so thatThis must be addressed, because it is a public health problem, a problem that affects the pockets of Chileans directly. Diabetes, cirrhosis, some types of cancer, respiratory diseases, etc., can be prevented with a better diet and this involves the use of herbs, the use of extracts, the use of secondary metabolites, which is what we work on, but In the end, the person who is not aware of what the boldo, the palo negro or the culén does, is not going to buy a product based on that because they do not know what it works for, if we do not say what it works for, the People are not going to find out, so that is why we have to go abroad.”
National distribution
Gustavo Calderón specified that, in Chile, their products are sold in natural products stores in Santiago and Chillán (Rincón Vegan and La Canasta Nativa), and also through the digital channel on the website, with home delivery.
They also revealed recent agreements reached with the pharmacy chain Salcobrand and with the food supplements chain All Nutrition.
“We achieved alliances with strategic players in two key markets for us, in both cases we have exclusivity agreements. We hope to be with our products in stores at the end of April,” stressed Calderón, who emphasized that, in the case of Salcobrand, the service model includes advice for clients in 31 stores, including Chillán, for which Kimun Biotec will train salespeople.
ProChile
From ProChile Ñuble, its director, Cristóbal Herrera, highlighted the news. “The work that Kimun Biotec does is very interesting, providing added value to native and endemic Chilean plants. At Ñuble we have the right professionals and we must encourage more technology-based companies to export, for that we are working together with Kimun Biotec, with Smart Hydro and with a group of 12 companies that have an innovative exportable offer,” he said.
Herrera stated that “we are very proud that they have carried out its first export to Canada, with mass consumption products. This market is a luxury for companies in the region, because it is a market that values these types of companies and their products, giving added value to the association that occurs with the producers. premises of Ñuble”.
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