The Mr. Cuy company plans to send 1,000 guinea pigs per month and 5,000 from 2025. Its differentiator is that it does not freeze the product.
Two years ago, the business idea that today is realized with the Mr. Cuy brand emerged in New York: the export of 800 guinea pigs to the United States. This seeks to bring the product closer to Ecuadorians residing in North America and gain a market where the direct competitor is neighboring Peru.
This first shipment departed from Guayaquil on Tuesday, March 19, in the afternoon, bound for New York, from where this product from various areas of the province of Azuay will be distributed in American stores.
“Just when I was sending the first shipment I started to do the math that it was 665 days that we started this. We were building a project (for which) we asked ourselves what we want to bring to our migrants, how and why, that's how the guinea pig issue began,” says Ecuadorian Galo Tenezaca, who is Mr. Cuy's legal representative.
To reach the final destination, this export had to pass through Miami, according to Tenezaca, “it is the port of entry,” and where on the afternoon of Thursday, March 21, it went through all inspections. “The cargo is already nationalized. Legally, this time he is already in the United States. Today I can say that the mission is almost accomplished....”
This agronomist along with two friends embarked on this project: Omar Bohojorque is in charge of marketing in the United States, while Diana Sanmartín takes care of the legal part.
According to Tenezaca, with this project it is not only about bringing a product for the compatriots but this is complemented with one of the emblems of the brand, since from his own experience he knows that the “guinea pig over there is not the one that is used to eat in Ecuador.
For us, the guinea pig is part of our culture, of our traditions, which is why one of the emblems we use is "Mr. Cuy, a brand with flavor, exporting tradition and culture through our gastronomy." This is what we want to convey to the migrant who is 20, 25 years away, not only is it the issue of the guinea pig as such but also to remember that flavor that makes the Azuayo guinea pig characteristic and unique.”
And one of the characteristics of the guinea pig they send - according to Tenezaca - is that it is vacuum packed and is not frozen, but refrigerated, in order to maintain the flavor and freshness.
Initially, shipping will only be by air and as production increases, they will not rule out shipping by sea. Between 780 grams and 800 grams is the weight of the guinea pig that will be marketed in the United States.
In this first shipment, according to the Cuenca native, there were samples of guinea pigs from the different cantons and parishes of Azuay, among them, Oña, Santa Isabel, Molleturo, Nabón and from the surroundings of the plant, which are the main producers, and is located in the Remigio Crespo parish, in the Gualaceo canton. The amount allocated for the investment of the plant is approximately US$ 160,000.
At this beginning they hope to export 1,000 guinea pigs monthly and increase “little by little” and by next year they hope to bring 5,000 guinea pigs monthly. "That's what we're preparing for, that's why we're reaching out to producers so that they can prepare and improve."
And as part of that preparation, he comments that there is a public-private alliance, and that they have signed agreements with universities that will be in charge of training producers in the field to improve production and in this way guarantee the quality of the guinea pig.
It indicates that they have currently identified that they have close to 500 producers in their bases. “This family economy in rural areas is what we have added to this chain that we have built, to this marketing channel, to a more stable market.”
According to Tenezaca, Peru is a direct competitor to Ecuador in the guinea pig issue. In 2023, the neighboring country exported about 8.4 tons. "They are our direct competition, but the guinea pig they carry (has) a different flavor and is frozen, we have made the effort to bring a fresh guinea pig and above all with the characteristic flavor of Azuay."
The guinea pig belongs to the group of meat, milk and processed products, according to the classification of the Central Bank of Ecuador.
According to information shared in 2023 by the Vice Ministry of Export and Investment Promotion, between January 2018 and April 2023, Ecuador exported a total amount of US$537,000 in this product. Two years ago, guinea pig exports represented 8.57%.
For distribution in supermarkets in the United States, Tenezaca comments that they are in a position to put the product “on any American rack,” because they are complying with Ecuadorian and American regulations.
Likewise, he points out that in the development of the project they saw that they can give “an opportunity to the Ecuadorian migrant to also see it as a business point” for which they have already created a group of people who want to distribute them, there are even already interested in giving them an added value: roasting it, which is also part of the brand's plans for the future.
In addition to reaching New York, New Jersey, and Queens, Tenezaca says that they have identified a new migration pole for Ecuadorians in a survey they carried out and it is where they also hope to reach in the future, Minneapolis.
On August 11, they were invited by the Ecuadorian American Chamber to participate in the event of the month of Ecuadorianness in a gastronomic festival, for which they have also already begun preparations.
