International buyers praise the quality, proximity, and flexibility of Uruguay’s food industry

During two intense days, 13 international buyers gathered to learn firsthand about what Uruguay has to offer in terms of food and an industry that, as the president of the Chamber of Industries (CIU), Leonardo García, said, “is a reflection of our country.”

The international business roundtable, organized by Uruguay XXI and the CIU, brought together more than 70 Uruguayan food and beverage companies with representatives from chains and distributors in Latin America and the United States in more than 300 business meetings. It was the meeting point between those seeking to differentiate themselves in increasingly demanding supermarket shelves and a country that has made quality and trust its export banner.

“We are very pleased that you have accepted this invitation,” said Adrián Míguez, national director of Industries, at the event’s opening. “You will find a wide variety of essential products. And above all, you will find an industry that can produce much more. If you don’t find exactly what you are looking for, talk to the producer: Uruguay can develop new products.”

Martín Mercado, deputy executive director of Uruguay XXI, highlighted the value of the collaborative model: “We like this public-private effort we are making in Uruguay. These are two intense days of exchange to learn about our products and get to know each other.”

Analía Bello, food sector export specialist for Uruguay XXI, gave the technical kickoff and provided a clear roadmap. 60% of the country’s industrial exports are food and beverages, but beyond volume, what defines Uruguay’s offering is its combination of attributes based on traceability, sustainable production, international standards, and trade openness that allows it to reach more than 167 markets.

“Uruguay offers natural and safe foods with known origins, sustainable agricultural practices, and a low carbon footprint,” explained Bello.

Buyers looking for identity, added value, and proximity

Testimonials from international buyers highlighted the quality of the products, the logistical ease, the openness to adapt recipes and regulations, and the innovative profile of the local industry.

“I am amazed by the country you have,” confessed María Victoria Pozzoni, from Pampa Group (United States), on her first visit to Uruguay. With experience in distributing brands such as Conaprole and Los Nietitos, she highlighted local producers’ technical strength. “Everyone I met with has factories with some method of food safety verification. That is key for importers in the United States, where the FDA is very demanding.”

Giovanna Guilhen (DOMAZZI S.A.) agreed from Brazil: “The quality of Uruguayan products is excellent, and they are also competitively priced. I am surprised by the variety I saw today. We currently work only with wines and dulce de leche, but there is a sea of new possibilities for doing business.”

From Paraguay, Matías Ordeix, from Capefar S.A., participated for the first time to diversify his gourmet portfolio. “Paraguay is growing, and there is a group that can easily afford premium products. We currently import many European products, but we want to see if we can find quality at a good price more regionally. Uruguay has a proven reputation for quality,” he said.

This breadth of offerings also impressed Jesús Higueras, from SMU The Sucseed (Chile), who came looking for powdered milk and rice but found much more. “I was surprised by products such as sourdough pizzas. I had been in the United States looking for frozen pizzas, and this type of product really catches the eye here,” he said.

Higueras also highlighted a structural feature that is not very visible but sets Uruguay apart. “Things are happening here that are also happening in Chile: smaller families, smaller formats. You have innovated a lot in packaging technologies. Your ability to adapt to different formats is uncommon in the market. That is your strength,” he said.

The positive perception was not only based on the product. It was also based on the attitude of local businesspeople and Uruguay as a solid business partner. “They are genuinely warm, very friendly people, very open to negotiation and to supporting everything,” said Sonia Camacho (Monalisa Internacional, Paraguay), who participated in the round for the second time. And she was not the only one to highlight this openness.

Giovanna Guilhen emphasized it: “It’s easy to negotiate, they are open to making changes to legislation, documentation, everything we need.”

Isadora Vallejo (Peru) provided a complementary view from her experience with the Uruguayan company Pagnifique. “It’s super positive to find suppliers willing to modify their recipes to adapt to the regulations of a specific country. We’ve had excellent luck with them,” she said.

Vallejo also highlighted Uruguay’s comparative advantage over European suppliers. “Importing from Uruguay is much faster than importing from Europe, which would be their most direct competition,” she said.

For those already working with Uruguay, the link is being consolidated. “We have Uruguayan beef on our shelves under the UruBeef brand. We choose the plants we source from,” explained David González, also from Peru, who is now looking to work directly with meatpacking plants.

In many cases, Uruguayan products have already earned a place in the consumer’s imagination. “Many are nostalgic products,” explained Pozzoni, who plans to incorporate them into his e-commerce channel on Amazon. “For my market, back in the United States, Uruguayan products work very well,” he added.

The evaluation of the round was as positive as that of the products. “I think it’s a perfect dynamic,” said Sonia Camacho, who often attends roundtables in other countries. “It gives you time to take everything in, without running around, which takes up much time.”

Jesús Higueras also praised the organization: “I liked that at other fairs they compile everything by topic, and you end up exhausted. Here it rotates, it’s dynamic. And the products have an added value that I didn’t expect. I’m leaving pleasantly impressed.”

Even those who came for the first time, such as Ezequiel González Bande, from Cencosud (Argentina), highlighted not only the quality of Uruguayan products, but also the cultural proximity and the fluid way of interacting with local businesspeople.

“Uruguay is a country we like to work with as a trading partner. [...] Uruguayan businesspeople inspire much trust, they make you feel very secure, and there is a lot of constant back and forth,” he said.

González also drew a direct comparison with other countries in the region. “Unlike other South American countries, which are more volume or price oriented, Uruguay has a very premium production. This is especially true in packaging, not to mention dulce de leche and frozen products,” he said.

Giovanna Guilhen even further compared Uruguay to traditional European benchmarks: “I saw frozen pizzas with a long shelf life and superior quality compared to Europe.”

Exporting confidence

The business roundtable confirmed that Uruguay not only exports food, but also a way of producing that combines tradition, innovation, traceability, and a reliable business culture.

The word “trust”—repeated by all participants—sums up what buyers from seven countries saw in Montevideo: a country committed to added value, listening to market needs, and offering an agile, sustainable, and people-centered platform for international food trade.

Learn more about the food sector here