The Food Club of Palencia incorporates Merpacífico

The president of the Provincial Council of Palencia, Ángeles Armisén, accompanied by the deputy of Socioeconomic Development, Francisco Pérez, and the second vice president of the Institution, Urbano Alonso, has visited this morning the facilities of the company Merpacífico, located in the industrial area of San Antolín in the capital, has become in its six months of life in one of the national reference companies in the processing of octopus.

The visit, which was guided by the CEO of the company Conrado Merino, is part of the application submitted by Merpacífico to become part of the quality brand Alimentos de Palencia, a seal promoted and managed by the Provincial Institution.

During the visit, the president of the Institution was able to verify the degree of automation of the facilities, which in addition to being modern and state-of-the-art in the latest technologies, have a large processing and cold storage capacity. The quality of Merpacífico’s products, which is capable of distributing thousands of tons operating directly from the fishing grounds in the main fishing grounds, is one of the main characteristics that make it worthy of the Alimentos de Palencia seal of quality.

The brand currently includes 159 companies, of which 113 are producers, 39 restaurants and 14 food retailers, and a total of 628 products. It should be recalled that the Provincial Institution has the technical assistance of the Cereal Technology Center (CETECE) for the management of the Brand’s Decision Committee (the body that decides on the incorporation of new members), as well as for advising producers, the hotel and catering industry and the retail trade.

During this year 2024, the Diputación has focused on its quality brand. In this way, it will dedicate 26 percent more budget than in 2023, up to half a million euros, and is involved in maintaining economic activity through aid to companies and the implementation of investments for innovation or the maintenance of the industrial fabric in the municipalities.

In this way, new initiatives will be launched with the aim of promoting the brand beyond the provincial borders. Already, this Christmas Alimentos de Palencia has been present in the Christmas market of Santander, where the products that were put on sale achieved a great acceptance.

In addition, a food truck with the brand’s products is being planned to accompany Zunder Palencia in its home games.

Likewise, the company is working with the Spanish Federation of Food and Beverage Industries (FIAB) to find an international fair where the quality brand will be present.

FOOD FROM PALENCIA. The Alimentos de Palencia program was born in 2001 as an action plan to defend the interests of the province, especially in the promotion and support of a strategic sector for its economy such as the agri-food industry.

In 2003, the Alimentos de Palencia brand was created and the first companies and products were added to it.

In 2005, the Alimentos de Palencia Quality Club was launched with the Regulations for the Use of the Alimentos de Palencia Brand (B.O.P. of July 11, 2005).

It includes agri-food producers from Palencia and establishes two modalities: Blue Band and Golden Band.

In 2008, the Regulation was updated (B.O.P. October 22, 2008) to include the hotel and catering and food retail trade. It thus incorporates new establishments.

In April 2011, the online store Alimentos de Palencia (www.alimentosdepalenciaonline.es) was launched, with the intention of promoting the quality club, facilitating awareness and promoting sales.

In it you can buy, among other products: sweets, sausages, vegetables, cheeses, honey, pates, wines, pomace, beers, water, canned food, pastries, seafood, vegetables, lamb, mushrooms, eggs, ice cream, etc. …… of the companies belonging to the quality club.

In 2023, sales through the website increased by 32 percent over 2022

The objectives of the Alimentos de Palencia quality brand are to bring together the Palencia agri-food sector under a common label that identifies the province’s products as a benchmark of quality and excellence; to promote the food sector abroad and its marketing beyond our borders as a dynamic element of Palencia’s rural environment; and to seek new distribution channels and improve competitiveness through the qualification and adaptation of its human resources (training, collaboration in new initiatives).

MERPACIFIC. The company Merpacífico has closed the year with a turnover of close to 20 million euros in just 6 months, becoming one of the most powerful octopus processing companies in Castilla y León and a national benchmark in the sector.

Merpacifico is today a modern company, 100% automated, with the most innovative technologies, facilities that exceed 10,000 square meters with a large cold storage capacity.

Merpacifico stands out from the competition due to its great capacity to process octopus and the quality of the raw material, since the company is present throughout the value chain from fishing, in the main fishing grounds of the world, where the company has its own staff that selects octopus by octopus until the raw material reaches the customer. It also has an extensive distribution network that allows it to reach the entire world in record time.