Lavalleja-based startups plan for growth following the first Más Comercio workshop

The Más Comercio program, promoted by Uruguay XXI, kicked off its 2026 national tour in Lavalleja with an initiative aimed at providing tools, knowledge, and support to startups and small and medium-sized enterprises with export potential across the country.

In this context, the first workshop held in Minas not only marked the start of the annual tour but also created a space for direct exchange with local stakeholders seeking to strengthen their development and, in some cases, take their first steps toward exporting.

From the food sector, Alfajores Sierra de Minas participated in the event with the goal of advancing key aspects of its production and commercial processes. “The idea was to get advice on certain aspects of production and improve areas where we currently face bottlenecks, especially with a view toward potential exports,” explained Octavio Collins, the company’s sales manager.

The company is already working on opening new markets, although it faces technical challenges that hinder that process. “We’ve analyzed a couple of destinations and are working to make it happen. Today we came to see which organizations can help us most along that path,” he added.

Along the same lines, Lucía Cedrés, Head of Production and Logistics, highlighted the value of the program’s coordinated approach. “The coordination among support institutions makes it easier to access opportunities that we haven’t been able to realize for some time,” she noted. Among the main challenges, she identified the need to improve product conditions. “For us, the biggest obstacle today is the shelf life of our product, which we need to extend in order to enter the market with more opportunities,” she said.

From the tourism sector, Rosa—owner of Casa de Campo El Destacamento, a family-run rural tourism venture in Cerro Pelado—particularly appreciated the workshop’s proposal. “All these initiatives always add value, but I thought Más Comercio was fabulous. It wasn’t just talk; it was a clear, coordinated, and concrete proposal,” she said.

The business, which operates out of a converted former military outpost, has diversified its offerings to include adventure tourism, hiking, birdwatching, and culinary experiences featuring local products. Currently, it is working on new initiatives that involve other local stakeholders. “We are developing activities that connect businesses through hikes and experiences in the surrounding area, fostering a deeper connection with the place and the producers,” she explained.

For Rosa, one of the main challenges remains market access. “The difficulty today is reaching the customer,” she noted, while highlighting the impact of such initiatives. “It doesn’t always happen that you go to an activity and leave convinced it was good. We traveled to attend, and it was truly worth it,” she reflected.

For his part, César, head of the upholstery business Samo, participated in the workshop with a medium-term strategic perspective. “Our short-term goal isn’t to export, but we believe it’s essential to first strengthen the local market so that we can later have a solid foundation and think about expanding abroad,” he explained.

In his case, he highlighted the contribution of mentoring and institutional support in building new business perspectives. “This mentoring opens up a perspective that you sometimes don’t see and allows you to focus on new goals,” he said.

The testimonials gathered during the event reflect the diversity of profiles that Más Comercio brings together and highlight both the interest in internationalization and the need to strengthen internal capabilities. In this vein, the program aims to establish itself as a key tool for supporting companies in the interior of the country in their development and expansion into new markets.

Following its launch in Lavalleja, the tour will continue in April with workshops in Salto and Paysandú. Companies and startups interested in participating can access more information and register through the Más Comercio website.