Spanish tourists "vote" for Greek honey

The beekeeping sector, without being the most important sector of the large and highly developed Spanish agricultural sector, nevertheless presents significant interest, as on the one hand it is characterized by a remarkable extroversion, and on the other hand it has recorded steady growth in recent years, both in terms of the number of beekeeping farms and the number of beekeepers.

According to a market survey conducted by the Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs in Madrid, especially for the main producing regions of Spain, Extremadura, Andalusia, Castile-Leon, Valencia, and Galicia, beekeeping is the main livestock activity of a large proportion of households.

According to the survey, in terms of domestic consumption, just over 1/3 of Spanish households consume honey on a systematic basis, while the preferences of Spanish consumers are oriented towards packaged honey, which is available under several brands, as well as under private labels, in retail chains, at relatively affordable prices. However, there is a significant market for bulk honey, as well as for better quality honey with a higher gastronomic profile, mainly produced by small local units and cooperatives and distributed in local, and regional distribution channels, mainly smaller stores.

The standardized honey available in large retail stores is, on the contrary, almost exclusively, a purely industrialized mass-consumption product, with less weight attributed to its quality by Spanish buyers and purchasing decisions being made based on price.

Residents of urban centers, with medium to lower incomes, constitute the main category of buyers of honey, mainly standardized, however it is considered that there is a place for quality honey and honey products available in smaller special and local stores, or even specialized departments of supermarket chains and hypermarkets.

The prospects of Greek honey in Spain

According to the research, as shown by the bilateral trade data, Greece imports more honey from Spain than it exports. However, given the common Mediterranean taste preferences and the more or less common Mediterranean gastronomic tradition, as well as the fact of increased influx of Spanish tourists to Greece, who know and appreciate the Greek way of eating and its healthy characteristics, it is considered that there is room for quality Greek honeys, with a good combination of quality and price, which can attract the interest of Spanish consumers.

In particular, the goal of the Greek honey industry should be, according to the research, to "conquer" a niche market share in Spain, of middle-class consumers with medium to high disposable incomes, with awareness and interest in the multitude of healthy properties of quality honey.

Moreover, the existence of a significant number of residents with Latin American origins constitutes an additional factor that can positively influence the prospects of Greek honey in this market, which is also a "gateway" for the Spanish-speaking markets of Central and South America.

The design of an appropriate market entry strategy, with a good combination of quality and price, utilizing both the few Greek channels and, mainly, local distribution channels, while implementing small promotional actions in stores at first and larger ones later, are factors that can position Greek honey in the Spanish market.

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