On March 30th, the XIII Assembly of the +Broccoli Association took place at El Rincón Huertano. This location was chosen for the celebration where our members could reunite after two years without being able to meet in person. For the occasion, the Board organized a very special gathering divided into two parts.
Assembly for Our Members
Firstly, at 11:00 am, the Assembly dedicated exclusively to members began. Our producers, seedlings, magazines, auxiliary industry, and associations that are part of this large family gathered and received a welcome from +Broccoli’s President, Toñi Piernas, and Secretary, Javier Bernabeu. They presented the event and followed the agenda. Toñi extended a warm welcome, thanking everyone present from all over Spain, emphasizing the importance of unity within the Association, and how the sector had successfully faced the challenges encountered during the pandemic.
Fernando Gómez, director of Proexport, presented the Association’s accounts, highlighting its clear focus on promotion, always seeking new avenues for growth.
Javier Bernabeu updated all attendees on the Association’s internal matters, followed by a Q&A session where several participants intervened.
Open Assembly with Manel Fuentes
After the members’ meeting, a second open part followed, with comedian and TV host Manel Fuentes chosen as the master of ceremonies. A self-proclaimed Broccoli fan, he proved to be a highly skilled master for our Assembly.
In this second part, Toñi welcomed everyone and gave special thanks to the Assembly sponsors: Tactics, Cajamar, Corteva, International Paper, Primafrío, Agrosana, Basf, Bayer, Dqagro, Grupo La Plana, HM Clause, Jungheinrich de España, Rijk Zwaan, Smurfit Kappa, and Tozer Seeds.
Following this, Davis Descals from Corteva presented the latest advances in broccoli production from his company.
Salvador Ferrando from International Paper also gave a presentation, explaining how his company has adapted to new situations.
On another note, MªÁngeles, Communication Manager of +Broccoli, highlighted the promotion actions carried out in 2021: April and November promotional campaigns with high social media participation, thematic campaigns like “Las Brocolimpiadas” in summer or “Back to School,” and daily social media content to bring broccoli to thousands of Spanish homes. She also outlined the actions planned for 2022, posing many new challenges.
+Broccoli’s participation in two European programs is noteworthy. The first, Cute 4 You in 2021, brought Spanish broccoli to European countries, recognizing the agriculture sector’s significant role during the pandemic. Secondly, through Cute Healthy, fruit and vegetable consumption was promoted with illustrious figures like Ona Carbonell, the representative of our broccoli.
The +Broccoli Scientific Committee was also present, with its president, Micaela Carvajal, presenting and summarizing their activities: answering consumer questions through social media or email, monthly outreach articles, Instagram live sessions, and university events, among others.
Oscar Mozún, Director of Strategic Planning at Tactis Europe, introduced his agency and explained the significant promotion channel for the sector in Europe, as well as how to participate in European programs bringing fruits and vegetables to EU countries. He also presented successful cases.
Round Table
Following these presentations, Manel Fuentes moderated the round table “Keys to Efficient Promotion of Fruits and Vegetables,” with the participation of Micaela Carvajal, President of +Broccoli’s Scientific Committee and member of the Plant Nutrition department at CEBAS-CSIC, Javier Bernabeu, Secretary of +Broccoli and General Director of Sakata, Toñi Piernas, President of +Broccoli and Marketing and Communication Manager of Campo de Lorca, Óscar Mozún, Director of Strategic Planning at Tactis Europe, and Ricardo Migueláñez, General Director of Agrifood Communication and collaborator of Cajamar.