Almería is a leader in the production and export of peppers in all their varieties: Lamuyo, California, Italian, Snack, and even hot peppers. In recent seasons, it has become the star crop of its solar greenhouses, with 12,000 hectares under production and an annual volume exceeding 900 million kilos. It is the main supplier of this product to European consumers.
The commitment to quality and food safety, along with biological pest control, has transformed this crop into the cleanest in terms of residues, drastically reducing the use of pesticides. Right now, the most important product for the fruit and vegetable sector is threatened by a persistent pest: the Thrips parvispinus.
This insect leaves visible, sometimes unsightly, marks on a large part of the crop. These are merely physical defects that do not affect consumer health, of course, nor the flavor or shelf life of the fruit. However, society is accustomed to buying and eating with its appearance first, and often these peppers fall outside the commercial circuit, increasing food waste.
The Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organizations, COEXPHAL, wants to turn this problem into an opportunity for everyone: producers, marketing and distribution companies, consumers, and even the planet. The goal is to stop seeing these brands as a flaw and instead recognize them as a virtue.
This is how ‘Peppers with a Brand’ was born, with the slogan ‘natural leaves a mark’. It’s a campaign that offers clear, truthful, and transparent information about the reality of peppers. At the same time, it provides tools in Spanish, English, and German to facilitate communication throughout Europe.
Nature isn’t perfect; it’s unique, capricious, and has its own rhythms because it’s full of life. If no two people are alike, why should all peppers be identical? With this rebellious spirit, COEXPHAL presented the initiative today on the stage where the best products of our country and the best chefs come together. Without hesitation, with the aim of highlighting the work of farmers and businesses.
The Sabores Almería stand, in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Almería, hosted this event, which generated enormous excitement, bringing together chefs, producers, business owners, media representatives, and institutional representatives. Chef and media personality Daniel del Toro acted as master of ceremonies, with his characteristic charm, demonstrating his passion for vegetables and the solar greenhouse production model, stating that “Branded Peppers are just as delicious, healthy, fresh, and natural as any other.”
The Marketing Manager of COEXPHAL, David Baños, explained that the initiative seeks “to build trust in the food chain, especially among consumers, in a world of misinformation and fake news, but above all, to do justice to thousands of pepper-producing families.”
The manager of COEXPHAL, Luis Miguel Fernández, addressed distributors, urging them to “embrace this campaign and stand with Almería’s pepper producers, who continue to do things very well, especially when we’re talking about a product like this.”
Almería chefs Antonio Carmona, Estefanía Marchal, Patricio Úbeda, Rafa Rodríguez, and Tolo Castillo also showed their support for the farmers by working all morning with their “Branded Peppers,” creating flavorful and imaginative dishes. They emphasized that with a pepper, “what matters is what’s inside.”
Finally, the president of the Almería Provincial Council, José Antonio García Alcaina, expressed his support for “Almería’s fruit and vegetable producers, encouraging them to continue with initiatives like this with the support of the provincial institution.”
Branded Peppers will now continue its national and international tour. The next stop will be in Berlin next week, coinciding with Fruit Logistica.