Great opportunities arise from great crises. It was the case of Nekutliwho was born in 1998 when Manuel Cruz He produced tequila that he could not sell because the tequila companies did not want to buy him. He lost two houses and his partners his ranches.
What do we do with the agave planting? was the question. Manuel began looking for other options and found a 1955 thesis from the National Polytechnic Institute that stated that the plant also produces a type of sugar: agave syrup.
The current CEO of Nekutli developed a technological process to make his first product: alive, organic agave syrup. This was achieved thanks to an association with a Ñähñu (Otomi) community from the Mezquital Valley, which also no longer knew what to do with nearly 700 hectares of agave because pulque was no longer consumed.
Today, Nekutli has 90 finished products; 25 years in the market, two patents; international organic certifications and exports 88% of its production to 23 countries. Its organic producers are paid with fair trade. In 2021 they won two Goula Awards which are the awards that recognize companies in the food industry for their good social, nutritional and environmental practices.
When Manuel learned that the agave plant is rich in fructans (prebiotics that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria for the body), he began to produce two other things: organic agave inulin and sweetener.
“Some time later we began to make finished products because the companies to which we sold raw materials were very tight on the price,” Manuel explains.
Nekutli did the research and development and other companies were the ones that made the profit. So, in 2006 they decided to start creating their own products and brands. Among them: Vital Ice, which are organic ice creams recommended by the Mexican Diabetes Association. They also produce organic strawberry and chia jam; cereals, chocolates, maguey honey, amaranth and quinoa.
Manuel Cruz, CEO of the Nekutli company and winner of the 2nd. Goula Awards edition with the recognition of:
TRANSPARENCY AND IMAGE CATEGORY
- BETTER COMMUNICATION OF THE NUTRIMENTAL VALUES OF A PRODUCT
It is the only ice cream that complies with the Organic Products Law in Mexico. No artificial colors, flavors or ingredients, added with organic soluble fiber from agave and sweetened with fiber from organic syrup.
NEKUTLI: Organic ice cream VITAL ICE
CATEGORY: SOCIAL IMPACT NUTRITION
- BEST PRODUCT TO PROMOTE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF A LOCATION
It rescues the economic activity of two communities that lost their source of income due to the ban on pulque for sanitary reasons.
NEKUTLI: Living agave syrup.
Goula Awards third edition
On July 12, the award ceremony for the Goula Awards in its third edition in the University Center From Mexico City. These awards are for sustainable and conscious companies and projects in the food industry in Mexico.
On July 12, the finalists and winners of the third edition of the Goula Awards will be announced. This year there were 236 registered companies from 25 states of the Republic, an increase of 81.5% compared to the previous delivery.
For David RoldanCEO of GoulaThe most important thing is to cultivate food awareness. “If we are aware of the social and environmental impact that our company must have, we are going to change,” she says.
Karina Paucic, director of the Goula Awards, points out that this award is for companies that are really doing things well.
The transformation of your business in the food and beverage industry is possible if you generate food awareness by strengthening the culture of conscious practices. If you educate the public and fuel the conversation about sustainability. And if you add more and more actors and projects”.
Karina Paucic, director of the Goula Awards.
“Sustainability within companies is not natural. There has to be a process of consciousness for that to start to be something relevant. Then you activate and start to investigate who is doing it well. Sustainability is not transactions, but long-term transformations”, he affirms Gustavo Perezdirector of social responsibility and sustainability at Grupo Restaurantero Gigante México.
Daniela Mijaresexecutive president of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (canirac), points out that the restaurant sector generates 2.1 million jobs. One in five young people works in a restaurant and two out of five businesses in the country are from the restaurant industry.
“Today for the younger generations it is crucial to know the history of the product. No matter the luxury or the sophistication, if the background story is not honest, it does not lead me to the origin, it is not responsible with the community and the environment, people are not going to consume that product”, assures Daniela.
Aline Molina, campaign coordinator at the Mexican Council for the Promotion of Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (fish eater), comments that, in order to generate food awareness, the fisherman and farmer must be made visible through telling stories that make consumers aware of sustainable products.
Majo Rosas, a sustainability analyst, affirms that to cause a real change in companies it is necessary to generate a sustainable value chain. As? Managing and improving the environmental, economic and social performance of your supply chain.
So, if all entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry live sustainable and responsible practices day by day in their company, they will have great benefits such as mitigating reputational risks, saving resources, optimizing processes, generating innovation, increasing productivity and promote corporate values.
5 categories and 16 awards by Goula Awards
Social conscience
- Best community and social development project.
- Best diversity and inclusion initiative.
- Better social awareness in restaurants, kitchens and gastronomic projects.
Environmental awareness
- Best sustainable project.
- Best eco-innovation and circular economy initiative.
- Best restaurant, kitchen or gastronomic project with practices for the environment.
conscious brand
- Goula Grand Prize for Food Awareness in Restaurants, Kitchens and gastronomic projects.
- Goula Grand Prize for Food Awareness.
conscious nutrition
- Best infant nutrition product.
- Best food product with minimum level of processing.
- Best processed food product.
- Best nutraceutical functional food or FOSHU.
- Restaurant concept with better nutrition.
conscious vision
- Best initiative for the preservation of gastronomic heritage.
- FoodTech: better conscious food technology.
- Best practices for transparency and traceability.